I Envy You
by swimchika77
Summary: Its a Harry, Hermione, and Draco love triangle. Only one can have her. Who will she choose? But then, will she be satisfied? please read!
1. The Handsome Young Man

The warm summer slowly shifted away, and the old Hermione Granger left with it. Of course she still studied twice as hard, but she had changed. Her brown bushy hair had straightened out into silky curls that outlined her face beautifully. At seventeen, she was no longer a skinny twig, but had grown to fill her once awkward body perfectly. A week at Hawaii had left her with a glowing tan..  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
*From a distance she could see a handsome young man. He had striking silver blond hair that framed his face, and his eyes were a stunning color of blue. He was about 6'1" and had a muscular body. Obviously he was very athletic. Some how, he looked very familiar to her, but she couldn't put her finger on where she had seen him before. The young man smiled, and her heart leapt, he was gorgeous. But who was he?*  
  
Hermione woke up after a restless night, the dream about the young man still haunting her mind. But she soon forgot about the entire thing because she remembered that she was going to see all her friends again. She was very excited to be getting back to Hogwarts; the hustle and bustle around the castle had always been comforting to her. She knew that her last year at Hogwarts would be unforgettable. Already she had claimed the position of Head girl. *Life is good* she smiled.  
  
She lay in bed a little longer, daydreaming about how the rest of the year was going to be like. *She falls in love with a tall, dark, handsome wizard. After their 7th year at Hogwarts, they both get jobs in the ministry and get married.  
  
"Hermione? Are you up?" her mom's voice brought her back to her room.  
  
"Breakfast is ready!" her mom called up from the kitchen.  
  
"Okay mum, be right down."  
  
She put on a burgundy baby tee with an "H" embroidered on it and pulled on a pair of faded jeans. Then she made her bed, and arranged her stuffed animals on top of her comforter. *I won't see my room for another year. *  
  
Hermione checked [for the 10th time] if she had forgotten anything and sighed. Crookshanks wouldn't be accompanying her to Hogwarts this year. She had left him in Hawaii with her cousin, who had begged her to leave Crookshanks behind. *Oh well, fewer things to carry. *  
  
Finally satisfied, she ran down the stairs to breakfast. 


	2. Ron's Letter

Hermione's POV  
  
"My, don't we look excited," Hermione's mom commented, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Mum," Hermione replied, exasperated," I haven't seen Ron and Harry for ages!"  
  
A sudden sadness came over her as she suddenly remembered that Ron would be studying abroad this year.  
  
[Flashback]  
  
* Hermione ripped open Ron's letter and sat down to read it eagerly.  
  
Dear Hermione,  
  
Guess what? I got permission from Dumbledore, and for the last year, I will be studying abroad with my dad! Sorry I couldn't tell you in person. I will miss you and Harry a lot, hope to see you soon.  
  
-Ron Weasley  
  
P.S. I will write.*  
  
[End of Flashback]  
  
"Okay sweetheart, hurry and finish your breakfast, we are leaving in 20 minutes," her mom said, "By the way, I am so proud of you for making Head girl."  
  
"Thanks mum," Hermione beamed. "I promise I will never let you down." She gave her mom a quick hug and wolfed down her breakfast quickly.  
  
"Bye mum, dad," Hermione said her last goodbyes to her parents, and walked toward the barrier between platform 9 and platform 10.  
  
"Bye honey. Good luck!" was the last thing she heard before she fell through the barrier and onto platform 9 ¾. She brushed herself off and smoothed her shirt. Looking around, Hermione tried to locate someone she knew.  
  
"Hermione!" a deep tenor voice called. She turned around and saw a tall lanky boy with messy hair running towards her.  
  
"Oh my gosh, Harry?!" she gasped, realizing that it really was Harry, she gave him a huge hug. "I missed you so much!"  
  
"Me too," Harry replied.  
  
"How've you been?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Could've been better, but still great! How bout you?"  
  
"Oh, I've been busy! Plenty of homework to do."  
  
"Just like you to always be thinking of homework." Harry rolled his eyes.  
  
"Hey! I work hard and that's why I am Head Girl!" Hermione pointed out.  
  
"I wonder who beat me for the Head boy position?" Harry sighed.  
  
"I'm sure whoever it is will do a better job than you could ever do." Hermione teased.  
  
Harry playfully mussed Hermione's hair. "I'm sure they will."  
  
"I still can't believe Ron gets to study abroad this year," Hermione pouted.  
  
"Yeah." Harry smiled. "Lucky, eh?"  
  
"You can't imagine." Hermione suddenly realized that she had to look up to look Harry in the eye. She pulled him in for another hug, and felt Harry stiffen before relaxing into her grip. "It's so good to see you." She sighed into his shoulder.  
  
"Let me look at you," Hermione inspected him from head to toe.  
  
Harry had grown at least five inches over the summer, and endless quidditch practices had toned his muscles very well. His rippling muscles were evident under his dark green ribbed turtleneck shirt, which complemented his emerald eyes. Together with his baggy jeans and leather shoes, he looked like he had just stepped out of a muggle fashion magazine.  
  
"You look great," Hermione smiled and pulled him into another hug.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
While Hermione looked over him, Harry couldn't help noticing the changes in her. She looked a lot more confident, and seemed to have matured a lot over the summer, both physically and mentally. *Wow, she has changed so much. * Harry thought to himself. He wondered how he had never noticed the changes before, and felt a pang of sadness when he realized how much he really didn't know about her. Hermione pulled Harry into another hug, and he busily soaked up her smell of peaches. Harry squeezed her tightly, and Hermione tensed at the sudden burst of passion, but immediately loosened and returned Harry's hug.  
  
"Harry?" Hermione's voice brought him back her warm breath tingling his neck, "Let's go, we will miss the train. Don't want to have to pull another one of those stunts like you and Ron did in second year, do we?"  
  
"Huh? Oh yeah, right."  
  
Harry wanted to kick himself, but hoped Hermione had not noted his behavior as odd. Harry put his arm around her slender shoulder and they walked together on to the train, their baggage levitating behind them. Hermione chatted away happily, filling him in on her vacation to Hawaii. The two happy friends boarded the train, talking animatedly about each other's summer.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
"Hey Harry! I found one!" Hermione motioned for Harry to follow her into an empty compartment. They had been looking for a while, but all they seemed to find were compartments occupied by snogging couples.  
  
Hermione stepped on the bouncy seat and lifted up her heavy trunk, trying to squeeze it into the small overhead compartment. Her right ankle gave away and she would have hit the ground had not a strong pair of arms steadied her.  
  
"Here, let me help you put away your bags." Harry quickly grabbed Hermione's trunk and shoved it hard.  
  
"Thanks, you're quite the gentleman." Hermione joked and pecked him on the cheek, which caused a surprised Harry to fall backwards against the other seat and pull Hermione down with him.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Harry felt Hermione's elbows dig into his stomach and winced, but when he realized what an awkward position they were in, he quickly forgot about the pain. Hermione's lips were pressed on his warm ones, her breath warm against his face. He glanced up into her eyes, full of surprise, but he made no move to shift his position.  
  
"Am I disrupting anything?" 


	3. Prince Not so Charming

Hermione's POV  
  
A young man with silver blond hair and striking blue eyes popped his head through the door. *That guy from my dream! What is he doing here? Wow, he looks even better in person! * Hermione mused. *A transfer student? Possibly.*  
  
The blond stranger smirked, "Potter, quite the fast one, eh?" He glanced at Hermione, making her heart stop. "So where did Weasel go? His parents can't afford to send him to wizard school anymore?"  
  
*Malfoy?!* Blushing, Hermione hurriedly picked herself up off of Harry, who followed suit and dusted himself off. She was furious at herself for ever thinking that he was hot. "For your information. Ron is studying abroad this year," Hermione snapped.  
  
"Gr-granger?" Malfoy let a gasp of surprise slip.  
  
"Yes, Malfoy, its me. Now get out of here before I put a million hexes on you." Hermione stood up and slammed the door in the surprised Malfoy's face.  
  
"I was just coming to get you for the head meeting with Professor McGonagall," Malfoy's muffled voice came through the compartment door. Hermione could hear his suppressed snicker.  
  
"What the hell was I thinking?!" she muttered to herself. "Sorry Harry, be right back."  
  
"No problem," Harry flashed her a weak smile.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
*Damn that Malfoy* Harry thought angrily. He couldn't forget the feeling of having Hermione so close to him. Her touch made his spine tingle with anticipation. Harry realized that no other girl had ever made him feel this way. Not even Cho Chang, who he had thought was the most beautiful girl before. Harry felt a strong urge of longing to hold Hermione like he had just held her, though that was by accident. *Could I be falling for my best friend? Is that even possible? * He heard Hermione's footsteps down the hallway, further and further away from him. He was disappointed in himself for not making Head boy, if he had, he would be walking with Hermione to meet Professor McGonagall. After Hermione left, he sat there and stared at the space where she had been. Could anything happen between them?  
  
Draco's POV  
  
*Great, why do I have to get Granger? Why couldn't she send the little Weasel to get her? * Draco thought. * That Miss Know-it-all thinks she's smarter than all of us. * He walked up and down the train, scanning the compartments for Granger. Finally, he saw Pothead and some girl heading and he thought Potter might know where Granger was. Draco heard a crash on the other in to a compartment side, and decided that instead of knocking, he would just burst in on Potter and who was possibly Potter's girlfriend.  
  
Draco opened the door and looked in. He found Potter lying on a seat with the girl draped over him.  
  
*Well, well, well, what have we got here? * Draco thought. He spat, "Potter, so where did Weasel go? His parents can't afford to send him to school anymore?"  
  
The girl picked herself off of Potter, turning a bright shade of red. "For your information. Ron is studying abroad this year," the girl snapped.  
  
Draco's mouth dropped. "Gr-Granger?" He gasped. *Whoa, Granger has changed a lot..in a good way. I didn't even recognize her. * His head swarmed with questions. Granger muttered something and slammed the door in Draco's face. *Feisty girl*  
  
"I was just coming to get you for the head meeting with professor McGonagall," He yelled through the door. Then Draco left, stunned that Granger would actually have the guts to slam a door in his face,  
  
"Malfoy!" 


	4. Head Meeting With McGonagall

Hermione's POV  
  
"Malfoy!" She called.  
  
Malfoy turned around, saw it was her, and kept on walking. Hermione ran to catch up to him.  
  
"What do you want?" Malfoy snapped.  
  
"Just wanted to know if you knew who the Head boy is," Hermione sighed, "Don't have to get all defensive."  
  
"Actually I do know the Head boy," Malfoy smirked, "He is a close friend of mine actually."  
  
"And do I know who that 'friend' of yours is?" Hermione didn't want to play games.  
  
"Maybe. Look he's over...here!" Malfoy pointed a finger at himself.  
  
Hermione almost started gagging.  
  
"Excuse me?!"  
  
"Yea, I am the Head boy," Malfoy snickered, "What do you want to make of it, Mudblood?"  
  
*Oh that's just terrific, I get stuck with this MALFOY for the rest of the year. * Hermione wasn't very happy about the whole situation. She stormed angrily into Professor McGonagall's private compartment with Malfoy following closely behind her.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
* She smells good, kind of like peaches, and she looks hella cute when she is mad, but then again, how cute can a MUDBLOOD get, eh? * Draco thought as he sat down next to Granger, who sniffed disdainfully and scooted away from him. Draco smirked and returned his attention to Professor McGonagall.  
  
"How nice of you to join me, Ms. Granger and Mr. Malfoy. As you know," Professor McGonagall began, "It is traditional for the Head boy and girl to share a dorm. This helps promote inter-house relationships and you two will get to know each other better which will be helpful, since you will be working together a lot."  
  
"I also expect you two, as Head boy and Head girl to be good role models for the rest of the school. You will get further instructions and housing details when we arrive at Hogwarts. For now, you may return to your compartments and relax. Once again, congratulations."  
  
*Same dorm huh? Ok, I can handle one Mudblood * Draco smirked and left for his own compartment, which he shared with Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy. He rolled his eyes, imagining how the rest of the trip would be like. * Crabbe and Goyle discussing different ways of eating a donut, and Pansy trying to get into my pants. * He sighed and slowed down his pace, sauntering as slowly as he could, back to the Slytherin compartment.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
She walked back to the compartment where Harry was drowsily leaning against the windowpane.  
  
"So, what's up?" He yawned sleepily  
  
"Oh, nothing much. Malfoy is Head boy." Hermione sighed. "I don't know how much I can stand of him."  
  
"Wait, wait, if he's head boy.." Harry looked as if an important thought just sunk into him. "..doesn't that mean you guys will have to share a dorm?"  
  
"Oh, yea, I suppose." Hermione propped her feet up against the opposite seat.  
  
"Your okay with that?" Harry sat up.  
  
"I guess I kind of have to be, don't I?" Hermione pulled out a book and started reading.  
  
Harry jumped up and his eyes were full of anger.  
  
"There is no way I am going to let you share a dorm with that creep!"  
  
Hermione was surprised at the sudden outburst from Harry.  
  
"Don't worry, I can handle him. I'm a big girl. " She reached over and tried to pull Harry down into the seat.  
  
"No, it's not ok! Who knows what he might do to you when you are sleeping?"  
  
"Harry, we can worry about that later," Hermione mumbled, and scooting closer to him, she leaned on his shoulder and was soon fast asleep.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
*This is so unfair, ferret boy gets to spend so much time with Hermione, and I will only see her during classes and breaks. * Harry was very upset. *I should be the one sharing a dorm with her! I bet all Malfoy will do is try to take advantage of her!*  
  
He looked down and watched Hermione breathing softly in her sleep. He reached up and brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead. She smiled at the touch and snuggled against him. Hermione looked like an angel to him. Harry vowed to himself that one day, he would make Hermione his, but even if he couldn't, he would do anything to protect her. With that, he too fell into a deep sleep. 


	5. Confused Feelings

[3 hours later, the Hogwarts Express has arrived, and everyone is busy unpacking in his or her dorm, and getting ready for the sorting for the first years and for dinner.]  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
The hustling and bustling of the first years heading to the Great Hall, and the other students rushing to their dorms moved further and further away. Dumbledore led Malfoy and her down a long passage to the Head boy and girl dorm. They stepped through a door behind a portrait of the first Head boy and girl, who warmly welcomed them. Stepping through the portrait, she found that the common room was slightly smaller than the other common rooms, but plenty big for two people. A friendly fire was roaring in the fireplace, and it looked very cozy. The furniture and decoration were very plain but still classy. The sofas were leather and the tables were made of mahogany wood, everything sported either the red and gold colors of the Gryffindors, or the silver and green colors of the Slytherins.  
  
"Your private rooms are upstairs," Dumbledore pointed at the stairs on either side of the common room. "I am sure you will find the rooms satisfactory, but if you don't, I encourage you to redecorate or speak to the house elves. Enjoy yourselves."  
  
Saying so, Dumbledore turned to leave.  
  
"Oh yes, by the way, don't try to lock each other out, because the doors don't lock," Dumbledore chuckled with a bright twinkle in his eyes and left Hermione and Malfoy gaping at each other in disbelief.  
  
"He can't be serious," Malfoy choked, "I am going to get my father to sue him!"  
  
"Whatever, I'm going to unpack in my room," Hermione lugged her suitcase up to her room.  
  
She opened her door and gasped. There was a huge canopy bed with creamy silk curtains. There was a huge closet and a small desk next to it. The carpet that covered the floor felt like soft fur. The bathroom was also nicely decorated, made entirely out of marble, with groups of magicked candles illuminating the room from every corner. *Wow, this is definitely worth putting up with Malfoy. * Hermione thought. She knelt down and unlocked her trunk, taking out various items of clothing and hanging them into her huge closet.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
Draco dragged his chest up the stairs and looked into his room. *Not too shabby for a dorm room.* He thought and collapsed on the velvet green bedspread. He realized that maybe sharing a dorm room with Granger wouldn't be that bad, after all, she seemed to have changed a lot. *How can I even be tolerant of a mudblood? * Draco thought maybe he was just hungry and he need sometime to sort out his thoughts. He decided food would help him clear his thoughts, and he went to go to the feast first and to unpack later. He wandered back down to the common room and crawled out of the portrait hole, all the while, his tolerance of Granger growing. He was even starting to think he could like her if he tried. He couldn't get Gr- Hermione out of his mind, her name flowing ever so smoothly off his tongue as he whispered it.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
She finished unpacking and went down to the common room. She knew she had probably missed the sorting ceremony already so she hastened her steps. The fire in the common room was still blazing cheerfully, but there was no sign of Malfoy around. Hermione figured he was still in his room unpacking.  
  
"Malfoy! I'm leaving," Hermione called, and when she didn't hear a reply she assumed he had already left, so she left too.  
  
When she got to the Great Hall, the sorting ceremony had just ended and she hurriedly walked to the Gryffindor table where Harry had already saved her a seat.  
  
"Hey." Harry greeted her softly.  
  
"Hi. Wow, you can not believe how awesome the dorm is!" Hermione smiled, forgetting about the awkward moment they had experienced on the train.  
  
"That's great. Come on, get some food." Harry started to pile food onto her plate.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Hermione laughed and Harry looked up at her. He realized he was still piling food onto her overflowing plate and turned a slight shade of red.  
  
"Harry, I think that's enough," Hermione placed her hand on his arm, sending a slight tingle up his spine.  
  
"Uh, yeah, sorry about that."  
  
"Are you alright, Harry?" Hermione asked, eyes swimming with wonder.  
  
"N-yea. Everything is fine." Harry looked down at his half empty plate.  
  
"I know you well enough to know that everything is not fine. It's about sharing a dorm with Malfoy isn't it?" Hermione demanded quietly.  
  
"No!"  
  
"Then what is it?"  
  
"Its---ok fine it is about the dorm thing." Harry looked up into Hermione's eyes.  
  
Hermione took both his hands and squeezed them tightly. "I told you, I'm a big girl, and I'll be fine. Malfoy won't be able to set one finger on me. I promise."  
  
Harry wondered why he was so against Hermione sharing a dorm with Malfoy. Well, of course it was because it was MALFOY, but besides that what else was he so worried about. Was he jealous? He shook his head to clear his thoughts, Hermione was his best friend and she would never be anything more.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
Dumbledore stood up, and the entire Great Hall was silent.  
  
"I'd like to make an announcement," Dumbledore said, "Congratulations to Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger for making the Head boy and girl positions."  
  
Everyone stood up and clapped, both houses were congratulating their Head. Two people however weren't very happy, one of them being Pansy Parkinson.  
  
"Draco, baby, you didn't tell me that Mudblood was the Head girl," Pansy whined, "Doesn't that mean you guys share a dorm?"  
  
"Yes Parkinson, now can you remove your hand from my thigh?" Draco said in an ominous tone, "besides you aren't my girlfriend, I don't have to tell you anything."  
  
Pansy scrunched up her face, which only made her look more despicable. She nudged the side of his leg with a bare foot, which disgusted Draco so much he stood up and moved to the other side of Crabbe. Draco looked over at the Gryffindor table and saw Hermione laughing and talking to Potter. He felt a pang of jealousy, but it disappeared quickly. Malfoys were not familiar with the feeling of jealousy, and it made he suddenly felt very vulnerable. Draco finished the rest of his meal in silence, sorting out his thoughts and his ever growing feelings for Hermione. "I'm going for a walk," he announced to everyone at the Slytherin table before he stood up and left the Great Hall. 


	6. The Nightmare

Draco's POV  
  
When Draco returned to the Head dorm, he was more confused than he had been when he left. He stepped into the common room and was about to crash on the sofa when he saw that it was already occupied. Hermione was curled up on the sofa with a book in her hands. She was in a deep sleep and dressed in only a tank top and her PJ bottoms.  
  
Draco stood and watched her for a long time. She seemed at ease with her surroundings, fitting in perfectly with the common room. The moon shining through a high window surrounded Hermione with a halo of light, illuminating her long lashes and deep auburn curls. He never realized how pretty she had become, and wondered how he could have missed it. He saw her shiver and took off his jacket, covering her up. Her mouth curled up in a small smile, but she did not wake, and Draco left her there.  
  
Draco thought for a while and knew what was happening. He liked Hermione, a mudblood. Draco wanted to scream. This would definitely go against any Malfoy rule there ever was. A mudblood! How was it possible?! He didn't even bother changing into his pajamas and fell into a fitful sleep.  
  
*"I don't want you to hear anything about you and that Mudblood again!" Lucius Malfoy yelled, beating his son with his bare fist.  
"Father, please, I-I promise," a badly bruised Draco looked into his  
father's eyes begging for mercy. "If I hear another word, I will personally disown you from this family!" Lucius' eyes gleamed malevolently. "No!"*  
  
Draco woke up drenched in cold sweat. He felt a warm towel on his forehead and saw Hermione standing over him, a basin of steaming water next to her. She looked worried, and he felt a pang of sadness. No one had ever been so worried about him before.  
  
"What are you doing," Draco slapped her hand away, ashamed at what she had seen. He couldn't let her think he was weak.  
  
"I heard you screaming and came to see what was wrong," Hermione looked like someone had just slapped her.  
  
"Malfoys don't need help from mudbloods."  
  
Hermione gaped at him, and after what seemed like eternity, she threw the towel in the basin and turned to leave. "I was going to thank you for the jacket, but I guess you don't need thanks from a mudblood either." She threw him his jacket and walked out of his room, remembering to slam the door.  
  
Draco stared at the door. What had he just done? He had just hurt the one person who had EVER cared for him.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
She woke up to the sound of someone screaming.  
  
"Malfoy?"  
  
She ran into his room and found him covered with cold sweat. He must have been having a nightmare. She quickly grabbed a towel, drenched it in hot water, and placed it on his forehead. He calmed down a bit, but she was still worried, so she stayed by his bed, constantly changing the towel.  
  
Malfoy looked so helpless, she actually felt sorry for him. For hours she sat there tending to him. He didn't look so dangerous when he was sleeping, and she found herself thinking back to the dream she had the night before. Malfoy had indeed changed. He was no longer small and pale. Hermione felt herself staring at him, his hair wet with perspiration and water was sticking to his forehead. If it wasn't Malfoy, Hermione would have actually felt herself drawn to him. She closed her eyes, remember the dream she had days before. That Malfoy was definitely someone she could fall in love with..  
  
At dawn, she was about to change his towel again when he suddenly woke up.  
  
"What are you doing," Malfoy slapped her hand away.  
  
"I heard you screaming and came to see what was wrong," Hermione could barely hold back her surprise, but she thought again. Did she think he was going to thank him? She smiled sadly to herself; the thought of Malfoy thanking her was just too absurd. She barely registered anything else they said to each other, but she remembered running back to her room and falling on to her bed. There is no use in being kind to Malfoy, Hermione remembered herself thinking before she fell asleep, he is like a rose bush. Beautiful to look at, but dangerous when you try to get too close..  
  
The sun slowly rose over the forbidden forest, and sunlight streamed through her windows in every direction. Hermione sat up and rubbed her eyes, running a few fingers through her haphazard hair, she swept it into a messy ponytail and got dressed. She couldn't shake the image of sleeping Malfoy out of her mind. He looked so innocent. She just couldn't understand how a person could be so different in his sleep and when he was awake. 


	7. The Question

Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione left the dorm in a hurry. It was only six AM, but she needed to go take a walk. She thought to herself: *Good thing classes don't start until Monday; I need time to figure some things out. * She walked out to the lake and started skipping stones.  
  
"Hermione?"  
  
She turned around and saw Harry.  
  
"Oh, hey. Your up early."  
  
"So are you."  
  
"Yea, I just wanted to sort out some stuff. It's only the second day back and I feel like I've been overwhelmed with all these decisions and feelings." Hermione could feel hot tears threatening to spill over her cheeks. She turned away from Harry, not wanting him to see her cry. "Um.." Hermione sniffled trying to contain her tear, "I'm going to head to breakfast ok?" She wiped her tears and gave him a small smile.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Harry wanted nothing more than to be able to comfort Hermione. He had done it many times before, but this time, it felt as if he was facing a stranger. Hermione was no longer the little girl who would come crying because someone had called her a beaver. Harry realized that he really didn't know why she was crying, and it just hurt him even more to know that he couldn't help her.  
  
Hermione turned to leave, and before he knew what he was doing, he had reached out and grabbed her arm. She turned around in surprise, but Harry pulled her into a hug.  
  
"Don't go, talk to me, please." He gently smoothed out her hair.  
  
Hermione nodded and Harry lifted up her face to wipe away the tears.  
  
The two of them walked towards the quidditch field, and sat down on the bleachers. Harry cradled Hermione in her arms, rocking her back and forth as she let all her problems spill.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
"Harry, I really don't know what to do."  
  
"Shh..it's ok." Harry comforted her. Hermione looked up at Harry, as if suddenly seeing him for the first time. His eyes were a mix of worry and content; his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her closer to him. She felt his warm breath caressing the back of her neck. Caught in the moment, she leaned up and kissed him. He tasted like warm chocolate, his lips pressed softly against hers. She deepened the kiss, not knowing why, only hoping that Harry would return it and not push her away. The kiss was deprived of passion, only full of longing for the one she could never have.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Hermione looked up at him, and he saw the look of confusion and longing in her eyes. He suddenly realized how close they were to each other, their faces only inches apart. She suddenly leaned up and kissed him. At first, Harry was stunned, but he returned the kiss. Her lips tasted like strawberries, sweet and delicate. This was the moment he had always been dreaming of, holding Hermione in his arms and never needing to let go. Finally he broke off the kiss, chuckling slightly to himself. "Wow."  
  
Hermione looked puzzled. "You know, it isn't nice to laugh at someone right after they kiss you."  
  
"It's just that, I've been waiting for that for so long, and I never thought that it could happen between us." Harry explained. "I don't know what I'm feeling, but I know that as long as you are there, everything will be fine."  
  
Hermione sighed.  
  
"Don't you get it, Hermione? I've liked you for so long, and these two days back to Hogwarts have been hell. All I think about is you, and I can't concentrate on anything else. I need to ask you something, and please don't break my heart." Harry caught his breath. "Hermione, will you go out with me?"  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
"Uh, yea sure Harry." Hermione smiled unsurely. *What is there to be apprehensive about? Harry is my best friend, we will be perfect for each other. Besides, why waste my life waiting for someone I will never have when everything I need is here in front of me? * Hermione knew Harry would never let her down, Harry is safe, Harry is everything she would ever need, or is he?  
  
"You don't seem too sure about that," Harry's smile shrunk.  
  
"No-no, I am. I'm just feeling a little tired, that's all." She smiled reassuringly.  
  
"Ok, well do you still feel like going to breakfast?"  
"Yea, go ahead, save a spot for me?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Anything for you," Harry swept down in an unbalanced bow, causing a fit of laughter to erupt from Hermione. He stood up with a foolish grin on his face and walked off towards the Great Hall. "See you later." He called back, but she was gone.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
Draco woke up and remembered what had happened just a few hours ago. "Jesus," Draco muttered under his breath, "what have I done?" He tried to get back to sleep, but he couldn't forget the pained look that was evident in Hermione's eyes. He grabbed his robe and hurried out of the room, wanting to apologize to Hermione. He didn't know why, but he felt that she deserved an apology.  
  
Draco swung open the heavy doors and walked out into the bright sunlight. He squinted, looking around for Hermione, and spotted a shadow sitting on the quidditch bleachers. He moved closer and saw that instead of being one person, it was actually two people. Hermione and Potter?! Draco placed himself behind a bush and muttered a charm. His eyes suddenly focused right on the couple and he saw that they were wrapped around each other snogging. He felt like a dagger had cut him in two. The only girl that he had possibly truly liked was making out with his only enemy. After awhile, Potter got up and left, leaving Hermione sitting on her own. Draco stood up from his hiding spot and walked over to the lonely girl.  
  
"Granger?" Draco tapped her shoulder, causing her to jump.  
  
"What the hell?" When she saw that it was he, she got up and stormed away.  
  
"Granger, wait!"  
  
"Why don't you just tell it to my arse 'cause I am not listening!" She started to walk off, but was pulled back by a strong hand. "Let go of me!" She screamed struggling against him.  
  
"I'll let you go if you listen to me." Draco replied stonily.  
  
"I'm listening." Hermione looked straight into his eyes, making him feel like he was melting under the ray of hatred and annoyance.  
  
"Um, well.."Draco shifted uncomfortably and blurted, "I-just-wanted- to-say-I-am-sorry."  
  
Hermione stared at him like he was some mutant animal.  
  
"I'll go now.." Draco muttered and wandered off, feeling like a complete idiot. Something about her just made him drop his arrogant- bastard-attitude, and without it, he felt utterly alone and uncomfortable. 


	8. Talking to Malfoy

Hermione's POV  
  
Was Malfoy actually talking to her instead of insulting her? Hermione was surprised, but assumed he was just guilty about what had happened that morning.  
  
She wondered if she had made the right decision about going out with Harry, sure he was good enough in every way, but was he seriously the one she wanted to be with?  
  
Hermione slowly wandered back to the castle, she wanted to read Hogwarts: A History over again.  
  
She walked to her dorm and ran upstairs. She took out one of her muggle CDs of Linkin Park and stuck it in her magicked stereo. Then she cranked it up to the loudest volume, and went to drown out her confusion in her book.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
Draco was sitting in front of the fire trying to finish a book when Hermione walked in. She seemed so lost and confused that she didn't even notice him there.  
  
"Hey Grang.." was all Draco got out before Hermione disappeared behind her door.  
  
Draco sighed, he couldn't concentrate, everywhere he went, he saw her.  
  
He was deep in thought when he heard a rapping on the portrait. He growled and stayed put.  
"Go away!" He yelled, but the person on the other side continued banging on the portrait.  
  
"Mister Malfoy!" Draco heard the portrait calling him. "Please open the door, I'm afraid he is going to tear the canvas soon if you don't!"  
  
Draco finally picked his bottom up the sofa and opened the door.  
  
"Potter." Draco said curtly, nodding stiffly.  
  
"Malfoy." Harry acknowledged him. "I'm here to see my girlfriend."  
  
"Girlfriend? I don't see any of your girlfriends in here, try looking down the hall," Draco smirked and moved to slam the portrait in Potter's face.  
  
"I am here to see Hermione," Potter growled with his teeth clenched.  
  
"You must be dreaming, who in the right mind would go out with you?" Draco snickered. "I thought Granger was the smartest girl on campus, guess not, eh?"  
  
"Just bloody move out of the way!"  
  
"Suit yourself," Draco pointed in the direction of Hermione's room.  
  
"Granger going out with Potter? Why didn't I get the memo?" Draco muttered to himself.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Harry walked up the stairs to Hermione's room. He was almost deafened by the music blasting from inside. He walked into the room and turned the stereo volume down.  
  
Hermione turned around, seemingly ready to yell at him.  
  
"WHAT THE--oh, hi Harry, I thought it was Malfoy."  
  
Harry knelt down next to her.  
  
"Watcha doing?"  
  
"Oh, just trying to read."  
  
"Really? It looks like you're doodling to me," Harry said glancing at the piece of parchment on her desk.  
  
Hermione blush. "Oh, I got tired of reading."  
  
"You wanna go for a walk?"  
  
"Uh, I'd rather stay in my room actually." Hermione stated.  
  
"Could I stay with you?" Harry draped his arm over her shoulder and leaned against her.  
  
"Could I have some time alone, please?"  
  
"Is there something wrong?" Harry asked, puzzled. He slowly removed his arm.  
  
"No, I'm fine."  
  
"Ok, just checking on you," Harry gave her a hug and pulled her in for a kiss, but she pushed away.  
  
"Harry, please go, I'll meet you down at dinner later. I promise ok?" Hermione avoided Harry's eyes.  
  
"Oh." Harry looked disappointed.  
  
"I really need to get back to reading," Hermione's eyes strayed down to her book.  
  
"Okay, see you at dinner then." Harry gave her a kiss on the cheek and left.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
*What did I do? * 


	9. The Ball

[2 months later: Hermione is absorbed in schoolwork and head girl duties. Malfoy  
has deeper feelings for Hermione. Harry is as happy as a bird,  
or maybe not.]  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Harry was in his room writing a letter to Ron. Hermione never seemed to be happy to be with him. Every smile she gave him, and every kiss they shared seemed to be forced. Maybe she wasn't in love with him anymore.  
  
Dear Ron,  
  
Hermione always seems so sad when she is with me. I keep wondering if I am doing something wrong. I don't want to make her unhappy. Maybe I should break up with her? She never tells me what's wrong even though I ask her. Please reply ASAP. I really need advice.  
  
-Harry P.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione sat on her bed, staring blankly into space. She would never ever love Harry as a boyfriend, but she didn't want to break up with him and break his heart. Everyone was telling her what a cute couple they are and how she had changed Harry so much. They constantly went on and on about how he had finally found someone to love and someone who loved him back. Hermione often thought that maybe she did love Harry as a boyfriend. He's smart, funny....she started rambling off the old list again, the one she would remember every time she found her mind drifting off to someone else. There was something missing though, something that she couldn't figure out.  
  
Over the past few months, Hermione had seen the other side of Malfoy, a soft and kind personality trying to get out of its mask. She found herself unable to tear her eyes away from him at dinner, and every smirk he sent in her direction sent chills up her spine. Still, Hermione pretended to be the perfect girlfriend to Harry, because she couldn't stand hurting him.  
  
"Granger?" Malfoy's voice floated up the stairs. "We have a prefect and head meeting in 2 minutes with Dumbledore and McGonagall. We are going to be late! What in the bloody hell are you doing?"  
  
Hermione groaned. She heard Malfoy running up the stairs, and a second later his head popped around her door.  
  
"Being a lazy git again?" He smirked.  
  
"O shut the bloody hell up, Malfoy." Hermione snapped and tossed a pillow at his head.  
  
Sharing a dorm with Malfoy had indeed brought them closer together. There existed an unspoken truce between them. Malfoy no longer called her a Mudblood, and she no longer called him "ferret boy". They had also seized to quarrel every time they met. Sure, they weren't on first-name terms yet, but they could no longer be considered worst enemies.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
Draco and Granger walked to the Great Hall together. When they got there, they found Professor McGonagall, Dumbledore, and all of the Prefects already seated.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger," Dumbledore smiled, eye twinkling, "Please, have a seat."  
  
Draco saw Granger blush out of the corner of his eye, and he had to suppress a smirked.  
  
"Well, as you all should know, this is the 500th year anniversary of Hogwarts," began Dumbledore, "and to celebrate this event, we have decided to host a dinner and a ball. It will be a muggle style ball, so everyone may wear whatever they wish. As Heads and Prefects, you will plan and host everything. Make sure to meet and discuss this. I will announce this tonight at dinner." He paused and winked. "Now, Prefects, you are dismissed."  
  
"As for you two," Dumbledore chuckled after the Prefects had left, "as Head boy and Girl, you are expected to go together, as a couple. Now you may leave."  
  
Draco and Hermione both looked horrified, though Draco's look of horror was feigned. Draco smiled to himself and looked toward Hermione, who had turned a bright shade of red, and was still stuck to her seat. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Aww..I won't bite..hard."  
  
"Ewww...." Hermione groaned and left.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
*That's great, just great! * Hermione bit her lip, thinking hard. *Harry is going to flip when he hears about this. I have to break this to him slowly, but how? * Somehow she was glad she wouldn't have to go with Harry. *Harry doesn't deserve me, he deserves someone who will love him, and I can't give him that kind of love. *  
  
[Later that night in the Great Hall, at dinner]  
  
Dumbledore stood up.  
  
"I have an announcement to make," he cleared his throat, "as you all know, this is the 500th year anniversary of Hogwarts, and we are going to celebrate by having a huge feast and a ball afterwards. The dress is muggle style, but you can wear anything you wish. Everyone is invited!"  
  
Everyone started talking at once. The girls were all asking each other who they wanted to go with. "So what do you think you're going to wear?" "How are you going to wear your hair?" "Who do you think will ask you? " The guys were all asking each other who they were going to take.  
  
"So are you going with Harry?" Ginny asked Hermione.  
  
"Um, actually I have to go with Malfoy." Hermione winced.  
  
"Good one! You almost got me there!" Ginny laughed so hard pumpkin juice came out of her nose.  
  
"I'm not joking, Ginny!"  
  
"What?! The Head boy and Head girl crap, huh? When are you going to tell him? You have to tell him, you know? He deserves it! That bastard Malfoy, I would beat him up if I could."  
  
"I don't know," Hermione sighed, "I really don't know."  
  
"You should tell him now, and get it over with."  
  
"He will hurt Dra- Malfoy."  
  
"What do you care? Malfoy has hurt you more than Harry will ever be able to hurt him."  
  
"Fine, I'll tell him after dinner."  
  
"Good idea, the sooner the better. Definitely don't wait until he asks you to bring it up! Promise we can go look for a dress together?" Ginny grinned.  
  
"Yea, I promise." Hermione couldn't help but smile, she knew could always confide in Ginny and go to her for advice. 


	10. Telling Harry

[after dinner]  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Harry burped and he reached up to cover his mouth, but remembered he still held Hermione's small hand in his own. Hermione smiled, amused at expression on his face when he realized that he couldn't cover his mouth.  
  
"Just don't try to kiss me!" She ducked as he swooped down.  
  
"Awww.." Harry laughed. *Hermione is so amazing, I must be the luckiest guy on earth. * Hermione tilted her head against his shoulder, and he kissed her forehead. *I can't believe she ever agreed to go out with me. *  
  
"So? Any plans for the dance?" Harry asked, looking over at Hermione when she remained silent.  
  
"Harry? I need to tell you something," Hermione said softly.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"About the ball. You should probably find someone else to go with."  
  
"Why?" Harry questioned suddenly tightening his grip on her palm.  
  
"I can't go with you. Just leave it at that ok?"  
  
"Please tell me." Harry begged.  
  
"You'll understand later ok?"  
  
"I don't get you sometimes, Hermione." Harry released her hand and distanced himself away from her.  
  
"Harry, don't do this."  
  
"Then tell me why."  
  
"Why can't you just trust me?"  
  
"I do trust you, but I want you to tell me why! Don't I at least deserve an explanation?" His eyes had turned in to a slate of emerald green marble, betraying no emotions.  
  
Hermione sighed, she couldn't stand Harry looking at her that way. "I have to go with Malfoy. It's traditional for the Head boy and girl to go together. I didn't want to tell you because I'm afraid of what you might say."  
  
"No f-cking way am I going to let you go with Malfoy!" Harry raged, further tightening his grip on Hermione's fingers.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione knew what would happen if she didn't try to calm him down.  
  
"Harry! Stop! You see? That's why I didn't want to tell you!" Hermione threw herself in front of him, causing him to stop and glare her in the eye. "Harry, don't make such a big deal out of it. It's only a stupid dance! Harry! Are you listening to me?" When she realized he wasn't listening to her, she looked up and followed his stony gaze, which landed on Malfoy a few feet ahead.  
  
"That good for nothing son of a bitch!" Harry muttered under his breath.  
  
"Harry! It's not his fault. We have to! Neither of us want to go with each other. I am sure he would prefer going with Pansy or Blaise. Let's go!" Hermione whispered sharply, tugging him back.  
  
"Malfoy!"  
  
Malfoy turned around.  
  
"What seems to be the problem, Potter?" smirked Malfoy.  
  
"I am not letting you take my girlfriend to the ball without my word!" Harry roared.  
  
"Girlfriend? I had rather thought she would have dumped you by the second day!" Malfoy shot, flashing a smile at Hermione.  
  
Right then, Harry took Malfoy by surprise and punched him, knocking him off his feet and sending him sprawling over the cold stone floor. Malfoy looked stunned and wiped his bottom lip tenderly. He winced when he saw the blood on the back of his hand. Harry took this sudden break to his advantage and kicked him right in the stomach.  
  
"Draco!" Hermione gasped.  
  
"Oh so you guys are on first name terms now, huh?" Harry took out his wand and pointed it at Malfoy.  
  
"No! Stop it Harry." Hermione threw herself in front of Draco and drew out her own wand. "You lay one more finger on him and I will jinx you so bad, you won't be able to walk for a week!"  
  
"Hermione..." Harry started to say something but he stopped. He looked from Draco to Hermione, confused and betrayed tears stinging the back of his eyes. He couldn't stand it anymore. Harry ran out of the castle, and he kept on running until he couldn't see anymore because of the tears blurring his vision.  
  
"Harry, I didn't...." was all he heard before the heavy oak doors creaked shut behind him.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
"Draco, I am so sorry," Hermione whispered kneeling down next to him. "I don't know what came over him." She shook her head and muttered a spell, healing the cut on his lip, leaving nothing but a shiny scar.  
  
"Thanks, Gr-Hermione," Draco smiled genuinely for the first time.  
  
"No problem, I couldn't stand having to watch my date getting beaten up. Come on, I'll take you to Madame Pomfrey." Hermione said, smiling back. She helped him get back on his feet.  
  
With his arm draped over Hermoine, he leaned heavily against her as they both worked their way slowly to the infirmary.  
  
"Oh goodness!" Madame Pomfrey sighed as she spotted the two struggling towards the infirmary and hurried over the help Hermione. Together, they placed Draco on a bed.  
  
"Madame Pomfrey!" Hermione exclaimed, "Will he be alright?"  
  
"Of course, he has only slightly bruised his ribcage. He might need to stay overnight, but otherwise, I don't see why he's not."  
  
"I am so sorry, Draco," Hermione leaned in to kiss him lightly on the cheek, and as her hair fell like a curtain around his face, he could smell the sweet peach aroma which was distinctly her's.  
  
"I got to go find Harry." Hermione gasped and ran out the castle.  
  
"Yea, thanks." Draco sighed and leaned back on a pillow.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione ran outside, the wind whipping her hair around wildly. She looked everywhere: the quidditch pitch, Hagrid's cottage, the lake, and the fountain. Finally she found him under a willow tree. His back was to her, but even in the dark, she could tell he was crying.  
  
Harry's hair was sticking up in a million directions and his robe was all wrinkled up. He was twirling a leaf in his hands, with his head resting on his knees. Hermione couldn't bear watching him so sad like that. She walked to the tree and took a seat next to him.  
  
"Harry..."  
  
Harry looked up at her with tear-stained eyes.  
  
"Hermione, how...why are you going to the ball with him? Why did you stand up for him? After all those things he did to you, calling you Mudblood, and constantly annoying you. You still chose his side over mine."  
  
"Harry, we have too, didn't I explain to you before? It's my duty. Don't you want me to keep my position as head girl? Besides, I don't want you to get expelled over something silly like fighting with Dr-Malfoy."  
  
Harry nodded, taking her hand. "You understand that I want you to be happy, more than anything else, don't you?"  
  
Hermione sighed. "Come on, Harry. It's not like it's the end of world, I only have to show up with him, dance with him a couple of times. Then we can spend the rest of the time together, ok? Look, ask someone else to the ball, and have fun."  
  
"No, I'll go by myself. I don't want to go with anyone else but you." Harry cupped her face in his calloused hands and looked straight into Hermione's eyes. "I love you, Hermione."  
  
"I....I gotta go. I'm sorry Harry." Hermione ran back to the castle, leaving a remorseful looking Harry behind. 


	11. That Fine Line

Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione ran back to the dorm she shared with Draco. She was so glad she hadn't said "I love you" back to Harry. It would have been a lie. "I am such an awful person." She thought aloud.  
  
"Now, why is that?"  
  
Hermione turned around and saw it was only Draco resting on the couch, his ribs still tightly wrapped in a bandage. "Draco! What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in the infirmary!"  
  
"Oh, I snuck out. I didn't have anyone to talk to, and I was bored."  
  
He looked at her curiously.  
  
"Why do you ask?" Hermione took a seat at the foot of the couch.  
  
"Well, I assumed that since you saved me from Potter's fury, we are on first name terms, and you are going to be my date to the ball, we should get to know each other better." Malfoy smirked, playfully.  
  
"Alright, Harry said he loved me, but I really don't feel the same way about him. So, now I want to break up with him so he doesn't get to attached."  
  
"Then why did you agree to go out with him in the first place?"  
  
"I thought we would be perfect, he's everything I need."  
  
"But is he everything you want?"  
  
Hermione turned red. "Well....I....uh...."  
  
Draco's POV  
  
Hearing Hermione say that, Draco had felt his heart skip a beat. So, the "perfect" couple had problems too.  
  
For the rest of the night, Draco and Hermione talked, telling each other about problems in their lives, debating about whether or not Dumbledore's beard is real, and truly seeing the other person for the first time.  
  
"Did you know that I once fell off that flight of stairs in the west wing?"  
  
[Laughing]  
  
"I never had real friends. That's why I was always so despicable to you, Potter, and Weasley. I was jealous of the friendship you guys shared."  
  
"What? You are an awesome person! If people get to know you well enough.. "  
  
Draco snickered, "Yea. You are probably the closest to a friend that I have."  
  
Hermione looked surprised. "Me?"  
  
"Yep. Sad, huh?"  
  
"I'd like to be your friend, if you will let me."  
  
"Sure. Friends."  
  
Time went by faster than a flying snitch as they shared stories and thoughts. It was almost one in the morning when they finally ran out of things to talk about.  
  
"I think we missed dinner," Draco sighed as his stomach grumbled.  
  
"Wow, 1 AM already." Hermione glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner of the common room. "Well, I'm going to bed."  
  
"Night, Hermione."  
  
"G'night."  
  
Draco sighed. He was on cloud nine, after spending a whole night talking to the person he loved. He changed into his pajamas and fell asleep, thinking of Hermione. *Friends, eh? Good start. *  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
*Draco is such a sweet guy, and such a wonderful conversationalist. All that "tough guy behavior" is just an act. Friends. That's a good start. *  
  
Hermione made up her mind. She had fallen for with Draco sometime in the two months they had shared the dorm, but she didn't want to hurt Harry. She had to break up with Harry, and soon, but when?  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Harry was full of questions: What could Hermione possibly be doing? Did she love him? She still hadn't answered his question about why she had defended Malfoy.  
  
Now with Ron gone, Harry had no one to confide in. He had to keep all his feelings bottled up inside, and it was killing him. *Maybe I should keep a diary, it might help me get my feelings straight. * With that, Harry grabbed a stack of parchment and started writing...  
  
Dear Diary, I don't know what is going on. I thought Hermione and I were going to be the perfect couple. I feel like she hasn't been telling me things. She never laughs when she is around me the way she used to.. 


	12. Hogsmeade

[2 days later. Hogsmeade Weekend.]  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
*I have to break up with Harry, and fast. I have to do it today, after we get back from Hogsmeade. * Hermione was determined.  
  
She sat between Ginny and Harry in the Great Hall, mindlessly playing with her breakfast. First pushing the eggs all to one side, then pushing it to the other side. Her head was supported in her palm.  
  
"Hermione? Are you sure you are feeling alright?" Ginny looked concerned.  
  
"Yea, sure. Why?"  
  
"Well, you have been playing with your eggs for the last half an hour. Are you sure you feel well enough to go buy our dresses today?"  
  
"Of course!" Hermione snapped, but when she saw Ginny's smile start to quiver she immediately reprimanded herself for speaking so harshly to her 6th year friend.  
  
"I'm sorry, Ginny. I would love to go get our dresses today."  
  
"Ok, good, 'cause for a moment there, I wasn't too sure." Ginny smiled.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
"Drakypoo, when are you going to ask me to the ball?" Pansy giggled from next to him.  
  
"Never. I would never take you to another ball in a million years."  
  
"Fine, then who are you going with?"  
  
"Hermione Granger."  
  
"What?! That know-it-all bitch?! I thought you hated her?"  
  
"I thought so too."  
  
"Hmph." Pansy grunted and turned to talk to her little posse.  
  
Draco sighed and looked over at the Gryffindor table. He watched Hermione pushing her eggs around her plate. *Thank God I am going with her instead of 'Pansypoo', even if she may not feel that way. * He thought, mimicking the way Pansy had said his name.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione felt someone watching her and looked up. Malfoy was watching her intently. When he saw her look up, he started motioning at Pansy and making a slitting movement across his neck. Then she saw him disappear under the table and pop up again, smiling in a goofy way. She saw Crabbe ask Draco something, and he rolled his eyes. Hermione smiled half-heartedly.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Harry saw Hermione smile and followed her gaze to the Slytherin table where Malfoy sat. *In the name of Merlin, what is going on? I haven't been able to get Hermione to smile for the past two days, and now she is smiling at Malfoy?! *  
  
He glared at Malfoy, but didn't dare to pick another fight. He didn't want to risk making Hermione angry at him again.  
  
"Hermoine?" Harry whispered.  
  
"Hmm?" Hermione looked like she had just snapped out of a trance.  
  
"Who are you smiling at?"  
  
"No one."  
  
"I saw you looking at Malfoy." Harry furrowed his eyebrows.  
  
"Harry, he is really a nice person. Trust me."  
  
Harry sighed.  
  
Dumbledore stood up and announced, "As you know, today is our monthly visit to Hogsmeade. For the 3rd to 6th years, there are carriages waiting for you outside. For the 7th years, I have decided you need practice apparating, so the professors and I have temporarily charmed the Great Hall to allow you to apparate. You are to take the carriages back. Enjoy your day at Hogsmeade. I bid you adieu." He smiled and sat back down.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
"I guess I will meet you there than. In front of the shrieking shack." Ginny gave Hermione a hug and walked out of the Great hall with one of her friends.  
  
"Hermione, ready?" Harry looked questioningly at her.  
  
"Yea."  
  
"Edaemsgoh!" They both said with their wands above their heads.  
  
(bzoop)  
  
Hermione and Harry arrived at Hogsmeade in front of the Three Broomsticks.  
  
"Hey, listen," Harry grabbed Hermione around the waist. "I got to go pick up some things for Ron, ok? Meet you back at school." He kissed her lightly on the forehead and ran off.  
  
"Ok, see you then." Hermione cringed, every second was bringing her closer to telling Harry that they had to break up. She looked around, and seeing that the other students hadn't arrived yet, she went inside the Tree Broomsticks, and ordered a mug of Butterbeer. 10 minutes later, she saw a swarm of Hogwarts 3rd years invading Hogsmeade, and she walked to the Shrieking Shack to meet Ginny.  
  
"Hermione! I'm over here!" Hermione looked over and saw Ginny's head bobbing above the little third years. A second later, Ginny was standing next to her.  
  
"You have any idea what kind of dress you want?" Hermione asked Ginny.  
  
"Nope, but then again, I haven't seen much. I do come from a wizard family."  
  
"Oh, right. Let's go."  
  
They walked towards the stores. Looking for any store that sold muggle clothes.  
  
"First stop. Madame June's Muggle Wear."  
  
Ginny and Hermione stepped into the store and they were hit by a wave of perfume. "How may I 'elp you?" A voice droned from the corner.  
  
"We are looking for dresses for a ball."  
  
"Ogay. Dere on da bhack wall."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
The voice grunted, and they wandered to the back of the store. Ginny gasped. There were piles and piles of dresses. Blue ones, black ones, and any other color imaginable.  
  
"Ok, start digging," Hermione strained to move a pile of dresses.  
  
An hour later, they both had their dresses. Hermione's dress was burgundy. [She had found the color burgundy brought out the red in her hair.] It was spaghetti strap, with sequins all along the bodice and sprinkled across the dress. The hem began at about knee length and slanted down diagonally to the middle of the right calf. It fit perfectly, probably because it was charmed with a 'fitting spell', and showed off her long tanned legs. She also chose a pair of black sandals, with heels that were 3 inches high and elongated her already long tan legs.  
  
"Malfoy's jaw is going to drop when he sees you in this. You look gorgeous!" gushed Ginny. "Why don't we go to that jewelry store around the corner and look for a necklace to go with your dress and maybe a decorative pin to hold back your hair?"  
  
"Sure." Hermione laughed. They paid for their dresses and waltzed out of the store. In the midst of her happiness she didn't see Draco, and accidentally bumped into him, knocking her off her feet. Draco caught her right when she was about to hit the ground.  
  
"Hermione, gee, watch where you're going, will ya?" Draco smirked.  
  
"Leave her alone you bas..did you just call her.." Ginny was interrupted by Hermione.  
  
"I'll remember that." Hermione smiled at Draco. "We have to go."  
  
"No kiss for you date?" Draco snickered.  
  
"Uh." Sighed Hermione. "Don't push it."  
  
[In the Jewelry store]  
  
"What was that about?" Ginny asked Hermione.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Malfoy called you Hermione. No mudblood or some other name."  
  
"Yea, he's not that bad once you get to know him."  
  
"You mean if you ever get to know him."  
  
"Yeah, that too." Hermione laughed.  
  
Another half hour later, Hermione and Ginny emerged from the store with their dresses, shoes, and accessories. This time, Hermione had gotten a black beaded necklace, and a pin decorated with blood red gems and black trim around them.  
  
The two of them chatted and laughed all the way to the carriages and rode back to the school. Hermione though, was a little less joyful. She was going to the Gryffindor common room to break it off with Harry.. 


	13. The Promise Ring

Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione followed Ginny back to the Gryffindor common room, hoping to see Harry. Sure enough, she found him sitting on a sofa in front of the blazing fireplace.  
  
"Harry?" Hermione tapped him on the shoulder.  
  
"Hermione?" Harry seemed a bit groggy.  
  
"We need to talk."  
  
"Hermione!" Harry suddenly remembered something. "Wait, I have something for you."  
  
"Um.." Hermione sighed as Harry ran up the stairs to his dorm room.  
  
"Close your eyes." Harry instructed her as he ran down the stairs.  
  
Hermione sighed and closed her eyes. Harry walked by her and plopped down on the sofa next to her. She felt him take her right hand and slip something cold and hard on to her index finger.  
  
"Okay, you can open your eyes now."  
  
Hermione opened her eyes and looked down at her hand. There was a silver ring on her index finger. She gasped. It looked like it had cost a fortune.  
  
"It's beautiful. When..how were you able to afford this?"  
  
"Oh, it was a favor, I pulled a few strings. I picked it up today at Hogsmeade. Take it off and look inside, I got the man at the store to engrave something in it."  
  
Hermione slipped off the ring, which fit perfectly on her finger and looked inside the silver band. "I will love you forever." She read the curly writing.  
  
Harry smiled, "It's a promise ring. I promise I will always be there for you, no matter what happens to us. I promise that I will keep you safe from all harm, and you will always have my heart."  
  
A tear formed at the corner of Hermione's eye.  
  
"It's beautiful. Thank you."  
  
"I love ya."  
  
"Mmm.."  
  
Hermione let herself be kissed. She felt she owed him something: a little happiness perhaps. Harry pulled away first. "So what did you want to tell me?"  
  
"Oh, it was nothing important."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Yeah. I got to go."  
  
"Don't you want to go to dinner with me?"  
  
"Guess not, I don't feel so hungry."  
  
"Okay then."  
  
Hermione stumbled through the corridors, unable to think. She mumbled the password to her dorm, and walking through the door, she collapsed into tears against the wall.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
*Hermione must have loved my present. I hope she knows how I really feel about her. I would give my life to make her happy. But I wonder what she was going to tell me. Well, I guess it wasn't important, knowing Hermione, she would tell me if it was that important. * Satisfied, Harry went to dinner.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
Draco skipped dinner, he could not put up with Pansy for another minute. "Drakypoo, you look gorgeous today." "Draky, could you give me a smoochy?" "Draco baby, would you mind if I sat next to you?" *Yea, if she was Hermione I wouldn't mind at all, but she isn't and she will never be. * Draco smiled to himself at the thought of Hermione doing that. *Nah, she isn't that flaky. *  
  
He walked slowly up the stairs leading to the corridor where the Heads dorm was. At the portrait he said the password and sauntered in, almost tripping over Hermione. She was curled up in a ball. Her eyes were puffy, and she looked like she had cried herself to sleep. Draco picked her up, and walked over to the sofa.  
  
"Come on [grunts] let's get on to the sofa."  
  
"Draco?" Hermione whispered sleepily, now clinging tightly to Draco's muscular shoulders.  
  
"What did Potter do now?" Draco asked.  
  
"Why would you think he did anything?"  
  
"Well, if you didn't fail an exam, what else would make you so sad?" He sat down on the sofa and placed Hermione next to him.  
  
"He didn't actually do anything, but he did give me this." Hermione lifted her hand in front of Draco's face. The fire dancing in the fireplace reflected on the shiny silver ring. "He said it was a promise ring, and he promised all this stuff, my happiness, etcetera."  
  
"Well, look at the happy couple," Draco said mockingly.  
  
"He may be happy, but I'm not."  
  
"Why is that?"  
  
"I was going to break up with him today. But I couldn't bear doing that to him today..after he gave me this ring."  
  
"Oh..mmhmm..I see. Remind me again. Why break up?"  
  
"I don't love him anymore."  
  
"So who's the lucky guy?"  
  
Hermione sighed. "Draco, I'm going to bed. Good night." She lifted herself off the sofa and walked toward the stairs.  
  
"Why can't you tell me?" Draco ran after her and grabbed her wrist.  
  
"Because Draco, it doesn't matter. He will never love me anyways." Hermione wrenched her wrist out of his grip and walked through her doorway. Draco stared at her in wonder, watching her walk into her room and shut the door.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione wondered about Draco. Something about him just made her want to open up to him. But there was no way she could tell Draco how she really felt and let him step on her heart like a carpet. She went to bed, trying to block Harry and Draco out of her mind.  
  
*Dreaming: Hermione and Draco are making out in the corner of an empty classroom.  
  
"Hermione?" Hermione recognized Harry's voice and pulled away from Draco.  
  
"Oh my God," she whispered.  
  
"Don't worry, just keep quiet, he'll leave," Draco whispered back.  
  
[Harry's footsteps moving closer]  
  
"Hermione? Why are you hiding? Hullo?" Harry called as he walked closer and closer to the corner where they were. He saw Hermione and smiled.  
  
"Hermione, what are you doing there? Come on, the common room is empty." He winked at her, reaching out a hand to help her up.  
  
"Uh.." Hermione shifted uncomfortably. Draco was hiding under a desk next to her.  
  
Harry looked at her rumpled, half unbuttoned shirt, and his arm dropped back down by his side. "What the..?" His eyes swept down to her skirt, which was starting to hitch up her butt. He looked over the entire classroom and his gaze landed on Draco.  
  
"Malfoy, you sick bastard!!" Harry screamed. "What did you do to her??"  
  
He looked at Hermione. "What is Malfoy doing here?" He gasped in disbelief, "Oh, so this is what you've been doing every night for the past week? You said you were going to study in the library. I believed you, and this is .... God Hermione, how could you do this to me?"  
  
Harry's eyes burned with anger and hatred. "Look, you have to choose  
between me and Malfoy! You can only have one of us!!" *  
  
Hermione sat up, gaping for breath like a fish out of water. Sweat was soaked through her shirt, and she had kicked off all of her blankets. She looked at the clock in her room. *Only three in the morning. * She fell back onto her pillow trying to fall asleep, but she gave up after a minute and started gathering her clothes for a shower.  
  
Hermione padded softly into the bathroom that connected the two rooms, and placed her clothes on a rack next to the shower. Before she turned on the water, something caught her eye. The door connecting to Draco's room was ajar. Hermione felt herself drawn by curiosity to look into his room. She stuck her head slowly into the room, careful not to let a sudden flood of light through. Her eyes fell on Draco, sleeping soundly, his bare chest rising up and down slowly. *This is where my heart belongs. I just wonder what took me such a long time to realize that. * She chuckled softly to herself, shut Draco's door, and proceeded to take a shower. 


	14. The Celebration

Hermione's POV  
  
The days got shorter and shorter, and winter eventually arrived, along with the celebration of the 500th anniversary of Hogwarts. Hermione felt herself unintentionally avoiding Harry, and all the time getting closer and closer to Draco.  
  
On the day of the feast and ball, all classes were cancelled, allowing the students to prepare for the festivities taking place at night. Hermione found herself and Draco, along with a few Prefects putting up decorations in the Great Hall and whipping up a menu for the dinner feast. Instead of the usual dinner sitting with one's house, the planning committee had decided that there would be small tables to seat at most six people. That way, everyone could sit with their dates, no matter if they were in the same houses or not. The DJs had also arrived, and they were discussing what songs to play, and chose all muggle songs, since the ball was muggle themed.  
  
"How about putting that strand of lights along the back wall?" Hermione asked a Prefect.  
  
"Sure. That would look great." The Prefect smiled and went to carry out his job.  
  
"Ginny, would you mind charming that disco ball to spin right in the middle of the hall?"  
  
"Creative," Ginny commented as she did as she was told.  
  
Hermione herself climbed up a ladder to adjust the holograms of muggle singers floating above her head. She stood on her tiptoe, trying to grasp the hologram and pull it towards the right, but she lost her balance and started swaying back and forth. In a second, a pair of strong arms had steadied her. Hermione looked down to find Draco still holding onto her waist. She stepped down from the highest step, and tried to turn and climb down the ladder, but she tripped and fell against Draco. They fell backwards and Hermione felt her lips pressed against Draco's soft ones. "Ahem..." She quickly picked herself up. "Thank you for catching me."  
  
Draco's POV  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
After setting up, Hermione was exhausted. "Good job everyone, we finished two hours earlier than scheduled, have fun tonight!" With that, she went back up to the dorm to take a nap before getting ready for the ball.  
  
[3 hours later]  
  
Hermione woke with a start. * I promised I would get ready for the ball with Ginny! * Just then, someone knocked on her door.  
  
"Hermione? It's Ginny, Malfoy let me in, are you ready?"  
  
"Yea, come on in." Hermione slipped off the bed and opened the door. Ginny walked in, with her dress draped over her shoulder and a bulging bag in her arms.  
  
"Just let me take a quick shower, ok? I'll be right with you, then you can help me put on my make-up." Hermione smiled, Ginny was a miracle worker!  
  
"Sure, then I'll do my own make-up first."  
  
Ten minutes later, Hermione stepped out of the bathroom with her hair newly washed and blow-dried into soft waves. She twisted a section of her hair back and secured it with the pin she had bought at the jewelry store. It was plain, but dressy enough for the occasion.  
  
"Ready?" Ginny asked, she was already in full make-up, even though she didn't have her dress on yet.  
  
"Yea! Bring it on!"  
  
"You are going to look so different, even Harry won't recognize you."  
  
"That's a good thing?" Hermione laughed. "You look great Ginny, Jake is going to be stunned."  
  
"Jake? Ha. He may have the looks, but he can't tell a bat from an owl."  
  
"Awww. He's cute though. That's got to count for something." Hermione smiled.  
  
"You have changed Malfoy a lot."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Two 3 months sharing a dorm with you, and now he is all gentlemanly and stuff. He didn't even call me 'Little Weasel' like he usually does."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Ok, done." Ginny put on the finishing touches.  
  
"That was quick."  
  
"You have awesome cheekbones and a beautiful complexion. All I had to do was put on some lip-gloss, outline your eyes, and dust your cheeks with some blush. No big. Take a look." Ginny spun Hermione around to face the mirror. Hermione looked at the young women in the mirror, her cheekbones were rosy and healthy looking, her eyes were big and she had long beautiful eyelashes. It took her a moment to realize that she was staring at herself.  
  
"Is that me?" Hermione gawked at her reflection.  
  
"Duh, who else would it be?"  
  
"Wow."  
  
"Yeah, Malfoy's going to be surprised."  
  
"Thank you so much!" Hermione threw her arms around Ginny and gave her a hug.  
  
"Ok. Ok. Hurry, let's get dressed!"  
  
Hermione threw off her bathrobe and slipped into her dress. Then she stepped into her high heels and buckled them on, whispering a spell along the way to soften the shoes so she wouldn't have sore feet the next day. Finally, she clasped her black beaded necklace around her neck and inspected herself in front of the mirror.  
  
"The feast is starting in 10 minutes, I've got to go get my date." Ginny rushed out of the room. "See you in the Great Hall."  
  
Hermione stood awhile longer in front of the mirror and placing Ginny's make-up back in her make-up bag, she headed down to the common room. She walked slowly down the stairs, careful not to trip and fall. She saw Draco already in the common room waiting patiently. He looked up when she got to the bottom of the stairs. His jaws dropped down to the floor.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
"You look stunning," Draco whispered into Hermione's ear. Actually, he thought she looked beyond stunning. She looked like a goddess. The minimal make-up brightened her eyes and made her best features stand out. * I am going to be every guy's envy on the dance floor tonight.*  
  
"Thank you, so do you," Hermione blushed.  
  
"Well, let's get going, we are going to be missed. After all we are the Head boy and Head girl." Draco offered his arm to Hermione, and she took it. Together they walked out of the dorm and down to the Great Hall.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
"You look stunning," Draco whispered into her ear. Hermione looked up into Draco's eyes and saw that they were very sincere.  
  
"Thank you, so do you," she replied, blushing. Draco was dressed in a black silk shirt, black dress pants, and a pair of black leather shoes. His hair was not down like it usually was, but it was tied back, some loose strands hanging around his face. He reminded her of Weasley in the movie "The Princess Bride." [Hahaha he is hot stuff!] *I am going to be every girl's envy on the dance floor tonight.*  
  
Hermione and Draco walked arm in arm all the way down to the Great Hall and through the gigantic pair of double doors.  
  
"Are you nervous?" Draco asked.  
  
"Actually, I am kind of excited," replied Hermione.  
  
"Good, me too." Draco smiled.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Harry arrived at the ball, dateless and sat at a table with Ginny and her date, Jake Swanson. He watched the doors intently for Hermione. He wanted to make sure they got to sit at the same table.  
  
"Harry? Why didn't you ask someone to the ball, dude?" Jake asked.  
  
"Oh, Hermione couldn't come with me, and I told her I wouldn't dream of bringing anyone to the ball besides her."  
  
"Whoa, a perfect 10 for loyalty, dude." He reached his hand over for a high five.  
  
Harry ignored him and sat unmoving, still watching the doors. Finally, Hermione walked in with Malfoy.  
  
"Hermione! Over here! Hermione!" Harry called.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione saw Harry waving at her to go over to a table he shared with Ginny and Jake. She looked unsurely at Draco, and when she saw him nodded, she smiled.  
  
"You don't mind?"  
  
"You're my date, I have to nice to you." Draco looked pained.  
  
"Um, thanks." Hermione fiddled with her purse uncomfortably.  
  
"I'm just kidding." His face softened into a playful smirk.  
  
Hermione laughed and led their way to the table.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
*I have to tell Hermione how I feel. I can't keep in my feelings for her any longer. Today is the perfect day. I can tell her when we are dancing, and no one will be able to hear. *  
  
Hermione and Draco walked over to the table that Potter shared with the smallest Weasley and her date. He watched in disgust as Potter kissed Hermione on the cheek and sat down next to her. Draco took the seat on the other side of Hermione, and grimaced as Potter slid his arm around her waist. They whispered a bit, and she leaned in and pecked him on the cheek. The only thing audible was her saying: "Please behave", and his replying: "As you wish."  
  
*I thought she didn't have feelings for Potter anymore. *  
  
Harry's POV  
  
"Hermione, why is Malfoy here?" Harry said through clenched teeth. "Can't he go hang around Crabbe and Goyle and their dates?"  
  
"Harry, he is my date! Give him a break." Hermione hissed back. "Please remove your hand from my waist!"  
  
Harry sighed, "As you wish." He released his grip around her waist and took her hand instead. He felt the ring and started to roll it back and forth on her finger.  
  
"Harry, please!" Hermione strained to keep her patience.  
  
"As you wish." He let go of her hand.  
  
"Thank you." She whispered, leaning in and kissing him lightly on the cheek. "Please behave."  
  
"As you wish."  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
*Why is Harry being so touchy-feely? * She had only thought for a second before Dumbledore stood up and addressed the students.  
  
"Welcome to the celebration of the 500th anniversary of Hogwarts. Please give a big thank you to the Prefects and Heads for planning this wonderful feast and ball." Dumbledore clapped, and everyone else followed suit.  
  
When the clapping died down, Dumbledore spoke again. "The founding parents of Hogwarts would be very pleased if they could see this school now, 500 years after they found it. Now, enjoy the feast!"  
  
The plates in front of us loaded up with piles of mashed potatoes, turkey breasts, stuffing, ham, and various sorts of vegetables. Our goblets were filled with pumpkin juice, and we began our meal.  
  
The table was silent, except for a frequent "Dude" from Jake. Hermione decided to start a conversation, because she couldn't take the silence anymore. "So, Harry, you like the muggle band Linkin Park right? So does Draco. You guys have something in common. Isn't that wonderful?"  
  
"Yea, wonderful." Harry didn't look too pleased.  
  
Hermione felt Draco squeeze her thigh, and she looked over at him, wondering why he had done so.  
  
"It's alright, I prefer to eat in silence anyways," he whispered.  
  
She smiled and placed a hand lightly on his arm.  
  
For the rest of the dinner and all through dessert, no one else spoke another word, besides Hermione and Draco.  
  
"That's hilarious," Hermione laughed.  
  
"Yea, I thought I was the king of the world," smirked Draco.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
*When is this going to end? Watching my girlfriend chatting with my mortal enemy is like a living hell. * Harry groaned, wishing Dumbledore would stand up and announce the beginning of the ball, but remembering that Hermione would have to dance with Malfoy anyways, he changed his mind.  
  
Dumbledore cleared his throat and said, "I hope you all enjoyed that dinner as much as I did. Now, the ball officially begins with the Head girl and Head boy dancing together to the first song. Ms. Granger, Mr. Malfoy, please."  
  
Harry watched as Malfoy offered Hermione his arm, and they walked to the middle of the dance floor. His eyes shot daggers at Malfoy's back. *I should be the one up there, dancing with MY girlfriend!! *  
  
He watched as Malfoy carefully wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist and she placed her hands on his shoulder. They looked into each other's eyes, and Hermione whispered something that made Malfoy smile. The pair of them looked so comfortable with each other. He saw a sudden sparkle in Malfoy's eyes, was it a look of longing? A longing for someone that he loved? Malfoy in love with Hermione, was that even humanely possible? 


	15. One Last Hug

Hermione's POV  
  
She felt safe in Draco's strong sturdy arms, and she wished would never have to leave his embrace. Hermione looked into Draco's eyes. They were icy blue, yet had a sense of warmth to them.  
  
"You're a good dancer," Hermione said, which made Draco smile. His smiles made her legs feel like Jell-O, and she felt like she was about to melt away.  
  
[song]  
  
I saw your face and wanted to see if I could get your name, yeah  
  
I saw your face and I can't believe I found a miracle  
  
You're so damn beautiful  
  
I saw your legs, your thighs  
  
Baby, lookin' right  
  
I can't believe my eyes  
  
I saw your face and baby you know, I found a miracle  
  
You're so damn beautiful.  
  
[song]  
  
The song ended long before they were ready to let each other go, and  
as other couples filled the dance floor, they faded away into the swaying group, still holding onto each other.  
  
[Song]  
  
I wanna take you away,  
  
I got a little house where we can stay.  
  
I wanna make you my own.  
  
If you don't try you'll never know.  
  
'Cause I could be the love of your life.  
  
Until you make up your mind,  
  
I'm gonna spend my time thinking of you.  
  
[Song]  
  
Four songs began and ended before Hermione realized that she had promised Harry that she would save him a dance. Hermione lifted her head from Draco's chest and backed away.  
  
"Sorry, I promised Harry I would save him a dance."  
  
"Yea, I understand."  
  
"See you in a bit." Their hands lingered, not wishing to let go.  
  
Hermione walked off the dance floor, memorizing every song and every dance she had experienced with Draco. She wandered over to the table they had shared, and only found Ginny and Jake making out. Walking around the Great Hall, she felt a cold draft, which came from a glass door that was open, leading out to a balcony. Outside, there were a few couples snuggling under jackets. There was one lone figure that stood looking out over the Hogwarts' grounds. His hair was rumpled by the wind and he was leaning against the railing, a goblet of pumpkin juice dangling between his fingers.  
  
"Harry, would you like to dance?" Hermione asked to Harry's back.  
  
"I thought you forgot about me," Harry said turning around.  
  
"I would never forget about you," Hermione took him around the waist and led him back to the Great Hall. Harry leaned his head on her head, and put his arm around her shoulder.  
  
A new song was just starting as Harry and Hermione stepped onto the dance floor as a couple. They wrapped their arms around each other and slowly moved to the beat of the music. Hermione looked into Harry's eyes, but instead of seeing his beautiful green eyes, all she could see were the steel blue eyes, which belonged to Draco. She lowered her gaze. *I am with Harry now, I can not be thinking about Draco.* The thought of him brought a shiver up her spine.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
*Hermione didn't forget about me. She does care for me. Why did I ever doubt that before? *  
  
He looked at the top of her head, which leaned against his chest. He smiled and pulled Hermione closer to him.  
  
"I love you.." Harry whispered as the song ended.  
  
She smiled, but somehow, it seemed sad. He took her hand and led her to a table. "Hermione, you don't know how lucky I feel to have you as a girlfriend." He brought her face closer with his hands, wanting to kiss her on the lips, but she turned and he kissed her cheek instead. *Why does she keep resisting me? We have been going out for about three months already, why doesn't she trust me? *  
  
"Potter, may I dance with your girlfriend?"  
  
Hermione and Harry both turned to look at the person approaching them, Malfoy. Harry looked at Hermione's face, she tried to look bored, but he knew she really wanted to.  
  
"You hurt her and I will break every bone in your body."  
  
Malfoy snickered. "Whatever Potter."  
  
Draco's POV  
  
*I can't believe I actually got down that low to asking Potter if I could dance with Hermione. Well, if he hadn't said yes, I would have taken her anyways. *  
  
Draco and Hermione walked back to the dance floor, and another slow song started. "Hermione, I need to tell you something."  
  
"What is it?" She murmured not bothering to look up.  
  
"I love you. I have since the beginning of the year, and it killed me when I found out you were going out with Potter, even when you didn't want to."  
  
Hermione looked up, her eyes glistening with happy tears.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione looked up into Draco's eyes, her eyes spilling out all her secrets: the secrets she could not tell him straight out because of her faithfulness to Harry; but her eyes betrayed her.  
  
The song had ended, but they stood there, staring into each other's eyes, trying to sort out the puzzles.  
  
"Hermione?" Harry's angry voice brought Hermione out of the trance.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said to Draco. "Truly, I am." She disentangled her arms from him and let herself be dragged away by Harry.  
  
"Harry, where are we going?"  
  
"We need to talk."  
  
"About what?"  
  
They had stepped out of the Great hall into the corridor outside the big double doors.  
  
"You love him don't you?"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"You love him. I could see it in your eyes."  
  
"Harry, how could I? You are my boyfriend."  
  
"Don't lie to me," snarled Harry. "I know you better than that."  
  
"Harry.." Her eyes pleaded him to stop.  
  
"If it would make you happy to know, he loves you too. Just the way he looks at you makes me wonder if he could possibly love you more than I do."  
  
"I know he loves me."  
  
"What?" Harry looked aghast.  
  
"He told me when we were dancing."  
  
"Hermione, why did you agree to go out with me?" Harry blurted out.  
  
"I was scared and confused, I didn't know how I could feel so strongly for Draco, someone I have hated for the last six years. I couldn't bring myself to break up with you, because I didn't want to hurt you."  
  
"Hermione, you have hurt me more this way than you ever could have if you had just told me the truth."  
  
"I am sorry Harry." She collapsed on him, crying her eyes out.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
*Why did I ever think that this relationship would work? * Harry knew it was his fault that he thought that the relationship would work, and he blamed himself for making Hermione's life so difficult.  
  
"Hermione, I am sorry too. How could you ever forgive me for believing this relationship would work?" Harry comforted Hermione.  
  
He saw Hermione take the ring off her finger and run her fingers along the smooth edge. "Here. Give it to someone who is worthy of your love."  
  
"No, you are worthy of my love." Harry refused the ring.  
  
"Give it to someone who can love you the way you loved me."  
  
"The ring is yours. It will remind you of everything I promised you. Everything will still be the same, even if we aren't going out." Harry picked her up and hugged her one last time, as a boyfriend. "I am going to bed, I'm not up for another two hours of dancing. Good night."  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione felt awful, she had never meant to break up with Harry that way. *How could he tell that I love Draco? Is it really that obvious? * She crumpled onto the cold stone floor and cried. *Why is everything happening now? Why do I feel like such a bad person? *  
  
"Hey, what happened?" She heard Draco's voice from behind her and felt herself being pulled into a warm embrace.  
  
"Nothing, I'm fine. We are fine.." She shrugged off Draco's arms and walked off, but crumpled down again in tears. "We broke up."  
  
"I thought you wanted to break up."  
  
"I did, but he looked so hurt, and he knew somehow that we both loved each other. He said he could see it in our eyes."  
  
"You feel the same way about me?"  
  
Hermione forced a smile. "Yea, you are funny, charming, and gorgeous. I just couldn't tell you because of my commitment to Harry."  
  
Draco smiled back. "That's ok, all this confusion is over now. We are together, that is all that matters. You don't have to keep your feelings to yourself any longer, and you aren't tied to Potter anymore."  
  
She nodded.  
  
"So do you want to get back to the ball?"  
  
"Actually, I'm going to go back to the dorm."  
  
"I'll come with you. I'm not too fond of this muggle music anyways." Draco put his arm around Hermione's shoulder and they walked back to their dorm in silence.  
  
"Hermione, if I asked you now if you would go out with me, would you say yes? Or do you need a few weeks?"  
  
"A few weeks would be good Draco, I am sure Harry won't be too fond of my going out with you right after we broke up."  
  
"Sure, I understand."  
  
Draco's POV  
  
Draco was overjoyed. He could wait an entire year, as long as he knew that he had a chance with Hermione.  
  
They walked through the portrait and into the common room. Draco crashed onto the couch, while Hermione slowly moved up to her room.  
  
"Hermione? You coming down later?"  
  
"No, I am going to bed."  
  
"Aw. Okay, good night then."  
  
Draco got up from the couch and ran up to his room, nothing could stop him now. He was invincible! He was in love! In a few short weeks, Hermione would be his, and he wouldn't let her go, like Potter had. 


	16. Dating Draco

Hermione's POV  
  
Over the next few days, Hermione avoided Harry, which was very simple, because apparently, he was avoiding her too. She often wondered why she had gone out with him in the first place. At meals, Harry would flash her a small sad grin, then ignore her for the rest of the meal. Sometimes she would look up to see him watching her, but then he would look away.  
  
"Harry, can we be friends again?" Hermione asked him finally one day, upon meeting him in the hallway between classes.  
  
"Hermione, I can't just be friends, I care about you a lot more than just friends." He stalked away down the hall.  
  
"I miss you, Harry, I miss laughing at jokes with you, and going to you for advice. Please. Please be friends again?" Hermione ran to catch up with his long strides.  
  
Harry sighed, he couldn't bear watching her beg him. "Fine."  
  
"Thank you, welcome back." Hermione hugged him.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Harry looked at her. He thought sadly to himself. *I lost her, but then again, how could I loose something I never had? * He was glad that Hermione still wanted to be friends. He wanted that too, but he couldn't muster up enough courage to tell her.  
  
"Harry, would you mind if I went out with someone else?"  
  
"No." He faked an unconcerned look.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Sure. May I ask you who that someone is?"  
  
"Draco Malfoy."  
  
Harry guffawed. "You are not serious."  
  
"I am serious. We love each other, you said so yourself. Besides, he did hint that he wanted to ask me out."  
  
"No! Anyone else I wouldn't mind."  
  
"Harry, I thought we were friends. Friends support each other."  
  
"Friends don't date their friend's enemies."  
  
"Fine, you know what?" Hermione shot back, "I take back what I said. I don't want us to be friends, and I am going to date Draco."  
  
"FINE! Just leave me alone." Harry whirled around and stormed in the opposite direction.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione watched Harry's retreating back. "Harry..wait..wait for me," she felt a lump in her throat, and she lost her words.  
  
Hermione wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. She had lost her best friend of seven years over a stupid fight for a stupid reason. She sniffled, trying to keep her tears from pouring out and sulked back to her dorm. She entered her room in distress, blindly throwing her school bag somewhere on the floor. Hermione leaned against the wall and sighed. A sweet aroma aroused her from her spot against the wall.  
  
Awaiting her on her bed was a bouquet of black roses, charmed so that the beads of dew did not roll off and wet the bed, but stayed on the petals, shining like diamonds against soft velvet. Propped up next to the bouquet was a beautiful white card. She picked up the card and read it.  
  
[card]  
  
Dear Hermione,  
  
I know I promised that I would give you a few weeks and it has only been one week, but I couldn't wait. Will you be my girlfriend?  
  
Always Yours,  
  
Draco Malfoy  
  
[end of card]  
  
Hermione heard the portrait door opening and rushed down the stairs. Draco had just sat down at his desk and pulled out a scroll of parchment.  
  
"Draco?"  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
She grabbed him around the neck and gave him a hug. "I'd love to be your girlfriend."  
  
Draco's POV  
  
Draco lifted Hermione up on to his lap. "I'd love to be your boyfriend." He took her chin in his hand and drew her in for a kiss. Hermione leaned in and moved her arms around his neck, while Draco held her around the waist. Through their kiss, they expressed all the love and passion they had for each other. The long passionate kiss ended, only followed by a slow romantic kiss. Finally, Draco pulled apart from Hermione, his lips still lingering gently on her's.  
  
"I love you," Draco murmured, kissing her forehead.  
  
"I love you more," Hermione whispered.  
  
"No, I do."  
  
"No! I do."  
  
"Fine, we love each other the same!" Draco tapped her nose with his index finger.  
  
"Agreed!" Hermione laughed at their childish argument.  
  
"Ten already? I got to get to bed, a long day tomorrow!" She suddenly brought up.  
  
They separated unwillingly and bid each other good night.  
  
Draco sat glued to his seat, replaying the kiss over and over, not able to shake the sweet taste of her lips from his head.  
  
"Draco!" A voice called from somewhere in the room. "Over here!"  
  
Draco turned to look at the fireplace, a small gasp of surprise escaping from his mouth. His father's head was floating in the flames. "Father?"  
  
"Yes," Lucius Malfoy snapped, "Listen, you are to get your Dark Mark on the 10th of January. You will have to go through the usual tests of loyalty and such. Meet me back here in your common room at eleven, and make sure no one sees you."  
  
"Father, you don't write to me for three months, and now all of a sudden you pop up in my fireplace and expect me to become a Death Eater like you? I don't want to be a Death Eater, and I won't!"  
  
"Don't defy me, boy!" Lucius Malfoy's head roared.  
  
"Shut up, you will wake Her-Granger up!" Draco hissed, muttering to himself, "and if I'm lucky, the rest of the school too."  
  
"Oh, your little mudblood girlfriend?"  
  
"Draco? Who are you talking to?" Hermione called from the top of her stairs, her eyes half closed.  
  
"Well, I have some business I have to tend to." And with a pop Lucius Malfoy's head disappeared from the flames.  
  
"Uh..no one, honey. Go back to bed." Draco lied.  
  
"I swear on Merlin's beard I saw your father's head floating in the flames a second ago," Hermione exclaimed, rubbing her eyes.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione was woken up by the loud conversation issuing from the common room. Who could be visiting so late, she wondered. She slid out of her warm blankets and shuffled towards the door, groping for the doorknob, too lazy to get her wand. Finding it, she opened the door and looked down into the common room. Draco was pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace, muttering to himself, and.. *Holy shit, was that his dad's head levitating in the flames?! *  
  
"Draco? Who are you talking to?" Hermione called from the top of her stairs, her eyes half closed.  
  
"Uh..no one, honey. Go back to bed." *I swear I saw his dad. Probably something about the Death Mark, most Death Eaters do get it when they turn 17. *  
  
"I swear on Merlin's beard I saw your father's head floating in the flames a second ago," Hermione exclaimed, rubbing her eyes. "Is there something you want to talk about?"  
  
Draco lowered himself onto the couch and patted the seat next to him. "Come here."  
  
Hermione jumped on the couch and leaned her head on his shoulder.  
  
"My father wants be to get the Dark Mark, but I don't want to. I have to though, because if I don't, he will hurt you. He knows that by hurting you, he will hurt me too."  
  
"That's awful, couldn't you go to Dumbledore for help?"  
  
"If my father ever found out, he'd kill me. He seems to be planning something big and dangerous, but why would he tell me? I am a disappointment, the black sheep of the family. My father is always going on and on about how he wishes I were more like my older brother."  
  
"Aw.." Hermione rubbed her hand down his back. She felt the hard- toned muscles rippling under his shirt and snuggled closer to him. *He makes me feel so safe and secure. *  
  
"Phyl this. Phyl that. Oh yea, by the way Phyl..blah blah blah. I am so sick of all of this. I just want to get through Hogwarts and start a business on my own. Screw Voldemort and all his little Death Eaters."  
  
Draco's POV  
  
Draco looked down to see Hermione had already gone back to sleep, her arms secured tightly around him. *Well, guess I won't be going anywhere then. *  
  
"Accio blanket." Draco called his blankets from his room and grabbed  
them from where they were hanging in midair. He wrapped himself and Hermione up and fell asleep, one arm around Hermione and one arm propping his head up on the armrest.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione woke up, the sunlight streaming through the window blinding her eyes. She looked around, not remembering anything from the night before, and panicked. Slowly, the events from last night rushed back into her mind. She saw that she was wrapped up in dark green blankets on the sofa, with Draco still sleeping next to her. Both his arms were around her waist, making it impossible for her to get off the couch. Carefully, Hermione unclasped his hands and slipped away, rearranging the blankets around Draco. She tiptoed up to her room and dressed, wanting to bring some breakfast back for both of them before Draco woke up.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
Draco felt Hermione slip out from under his arms and walk away. He groped for her, but couldn't feel her warmth. Sitting up, Draco saw Hermione already dressed, walking down her stairs.  
  
"Hey, you're up," she said softly.  
  
"Where are you going?" he groaned.  
  
"Going to get some breakfast. Come on sleepy head, get up, it's a Saturday! We have plenty of things to do." Hermione pecked him on the cheek, and walked out of the dorm.  
  
Draco yawned and stretched out his arms and legs. He smiled, thinking about how close they had been, sleeping together on the couch last night.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione smiled, thinking about how their two bodies had been so close. She quickened her pace, practically running into the Great Hall.  
  
"Hey Hermione, you look happy today." Ginny beamed at her.  
  
"I couldn't be happier."  
  
"Wanna tell me?"  
  
"Draco and I are going out. You won't believe how he asked me. It was so sweet."  
  
Ginny shot Hermione a look of disbelief. "You would choose him over Harry?"  
  
"Ginny, please don't start it with me, Harry and I will never be more than just friends."  
  
"He loves you!"  
  
"Draco loves me too."  
  
"How can you trust him? After all those things he said to you, and everything he did to you. Harry has always been there for you."  
  
"Harry knows we will never work out."  
  
"Hermione, I hope you know what you are doing."  
  
Hermione loaded a plate with crossants and bagels, charmed two mugs of coffee with a no-spill spell, and walked slowly out of the Great Hall, trying not to tip anything over.  
  
"Here, let me help you with that." Draco walked up to her and took the plate and a mug from her hands.  
  
"I was going to take them up for you," Hermione pouted.  
  
"We can take them up together." Draco smiled.  
  
"Mm..thanks." Hermione leaned forward and gave him a small kiss on the lips.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Harry was walking around the corner to the Great Hall when he saw Malfoy walking towards him. Instinctively, he hid behind a statue of a three-eyed goblin. Peering out, he saw Malfoy walking up to Hermione and taking a mug and plate from her. Then he watched as Hermione smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips. *Gee, she never looked that happy to see me. *  
  
He stood up and dusted off his robes.  
  
"Harry?" He looked up and saw Hermione looking quizzically at him.  
  
Harry walked as dignifiedly as he could past them, nodding slightly without even looking at Hermione, and entered the Great Hall.  
  
Ginny's POV  
  
*How could Hermione do such a horrible thing to Harry? Anyone would be lucky to go out with Harry. I would know. I've only had a crush on him for the last six years!! I will never have a chance with him. He only looks on me as a younger sister. He even confided in me that he would never love again. He said would only love Hermione. This is how she treats him? By breaking up with him and then going out with that bastard, Malfoy? * Ginny was absorbed in thought.  
  
"Hey, would you mind if I sat here?" Ginny looked into Harry's emerald eyes.  
  
"No, go ahead."  
  
"I just saw Hermione with Malfoy. They looked so happy together." Harry's eyes welled up with tears. *Why is he still thinking of her? There are so many better candidates than her out in the wizarding world. *  
  
"Harry, you have to get over her!"  
  
"I can't." A tear rolled down his cheek. 


	17. Lust or Love

Harry's POV  
  
"Harry, you have to get over her!" Ginny told him. They were sitting in the Gryffindor common room, Harry was still thinking about Hermione, while Ginny was trying to comfort him.  
  
Harry looked up into Ginny's sad eyes. "I can't." He whispered, shaking uncontrollably, trying to stop tears from pouring down his face. "I can't."  
  
"I'm sorry Ginny." He wiped a tear away with the back of his hand. Harry stood up and started to leave.  
  
"No, wait. I have a plan, maybe it could help you win back Hermione?"  
  
"What about?"  
  
"Just say yes or no."  
  
"Yes, you would do that for me?" Harry questioned.  
  
"MmHm." Ginny nodded. "Come on, sit down."  
  
Harry and Ginny conversed quietly for the next hour, planning how to break up Hermione and Malfoy. They sat there, absorbed in their plans, not noticing their friends who sat down next to them.  
  
"So what you are saying is that we need the help of a 'sexy decoy'?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yea, make Malfoy fall for her, one thing leads up to another, and soon Hermione will be yours again."  
  
"You mean like she will run to me as her 'rebound boy'?"  
  
"Sort of, but not really. You see, we will have to make you a 'bad boy' like Malfoy, and then Hermione will be unable to resist you! It's brilliant! Foolproof!"  
  
"And the decoy?"  
  
"Me."  
  
"What?! Are you positive?"  
  
"Anyone else may rat on us."  
  
Harry sighed. "Ok."  
  
"Now we have to work on your 'bad boy' look." Ginny smirked.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Draco and Hermione enjoyed breakfast together, snuggled on the couch, laughing and talking about random events.  
  
"Homework calls!" Hermione sighed, standing up.  
  
"No, stay here." Draco playfully pulled Hermione back down.  
  
"Draco, I need to go to the library to do some researching."  
  
"I'm coming too!"  
  
"No, with you there, I'll never get anything done!" Hermione sighed.  
  
"Am I....that irresistible?" he laughed.  
  
"Don't push it!"  
  
"Can I come with you, please?" Draco tried a sad puppy dog look.  
  
"If you're going to concentrate on studying." Hermione said, trying to stay serious.  
  
"I promise. Let me go get my books, be right back."  
  
*I hope this relationship with Draco doesn't deter me from my schoolwork. I must be the luckiest girl in this school though; to have a boyfriend like him. * Hermione finished the rest of her coffee.  
  
"Come on! You have studying to do." Draco picked her up from behind and placed her over his shoulder.  
  
"Let me down, you big bully!" Hermione laughed and pounded Draco's back.  
  
"It's a lot faster this way." Draco walked out the portrait door and into the corridor.  
  
"Draco!"  
  
"Almost there." Draco replied as he turned down the stairs and in the direction of the library.  
  
Ginny's POV  
  
Harry and Ginny were walking back to the Gryffindor dorm to try out Harry's new "bad boy" look when Malfoy's voice floated near. "Almost there." He was walking closer and closer towards them, with Hermione draped over his shoulder?  
  
"Harry?" Ginny turned to see Harry frozen, his usually soft warm eyes were unusually cold. "Pretend to kiss me."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Come on, get Hermione a little jealous." Ginny pulled Harry closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. Harry shifted his hands around her waist and leaned his head in.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
"Is that Potter?" Draco's deep voice rumbled through his chest. "Damn he moves fast, who is that girl he's making out with?"  
  
"What?" *Harry? Well, good for him I guess, but who's the girl. *  
  
"Well, seems if your ex-boyfriend has gotten himself a new girlfriend."  
  
"Draco, let me down, I want to see." Hermione hissed.  
  
"Why are you so curious?"  
  
"I'm not! I'm just wondering!"  
  
"Well, well, if it isn't the little weasel."  
  
"Ginny?!" Hermione gasped. "Draco, walk faster!" * I can't believe she would do that to me. I know that she is upset that I broke up with Harry, but she should know better than to do that! Why am I so jealous? I was the one who said Harry couldn't be more than a friend. I was the one who chose Draco over him. *  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Harry heard Malfoy's steps pass by quickly, and he opened his eyes, his lips still pressed tightly against Ginny's. Harry backed away and let go of Ginny, who opened her eyes, startled.  
  
"Um..we have some work to do. Let's go." Harry stuttered.  
  
"Y-yea."  
  
They walked back to their common room in an awkward silence, only broken by Harry clearing his throat.  
  
"So, I'll meet you in my dorm in 10 minutes?"  
  
"Sure. Do you have some gel and a black shirt? A pair of black jeans, maybe?"  
  
"Uh, I'm sure I will find something."  
  
"Okay. See you in 10 minutes."  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Draco dropped Hermione softly down in a chair, and he pulled up another chair for himself.  
  
"So, what are you going to work on?" Draco asked.  
  
"Uh. The new potions assignment that Snape gave us." Hermione took out a roll of parchment and a quill.  
  
"Need help?"  
  
"No thanks, I'm fine."  
  
"I'm the god of potions, but if you say so, okay." Draco pulled out his own roll of parchment and quietly began working on his assignment.  
  
*How could Harry do that? How could Ginny do that? I mean, even if they are going out, why didn't anyone tell me anything? These are the people who call them my friends? Still, why do I feel so jealous? * Hermione stared blankly at her parchment; mindlessly twirling the silver ring that Harry had given her.  
  
Ginny's POV  
  
*I kissed Harry Potter! Me! I kissed him! * Ginny thought as she walked up the stairs leading to Harry's dorm. She was holding a curious silver loop in one hand.  
  
"Harry, can I come in?"  
  
"Yea, the door is unlocked."  
  
Ginny pushed open the door and walked into the dimly lit room. Harry was kneeling in front of his chest, digging through his piles of clothes. He stood up and motioned for Ginny to sit down on his bed.  
  
"I could only find these." Harry said apologetically. He showed Ginny a ribbed black long sleeve shirt and a pair of worn black jeans.  
  
"Perfect! Put them on." Ginny smiled.  
  
Minutes later, Ginny was standing behind Harry in front of a mirror, with gel, her wand, and a comb in her hands.  
  
"Ok, I am going to try to tame your hair down with a simple spell, then I am going to tease them into spikes with a little gel. Understood?"  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
Ginny started to work on his messy hair.  
  
"Ok. Great! You look like a bad boy."  
  
"I'm done?"  
  
"Oh yea, um a few more things."  
  
"Like?"  
  
"Your glasses, they gotta go." Ginny said. She handed him a box. "Here are contacts, some girls in my dorm told me that's what Muggles use instead of glasses. They said that contacts are like miniature glasses that you stick in your eye. With some help, I have charmed them to help anyone who wears them to see 20/20."  
  
"Um." Harry looked uncertain.  
  
"You want Hermione back, don't you?"  
  
Harry sighed. "I guess." He popped the contacts in without hurting himself too much. "And the other thing?"  
  
Ginny opened her fist and showed Harry the curious silver loop.  
  
"Wha-an earring?"  
  
"Yes. Bad boys have pierced ears."  
  
"No! Malfoy doesn't have one!"  
  
"Come on, don't ruin the moment! It won't hurt. Trust me." Ginny took her wand and pointed it at Harry's left ear. "Axiot." Harry winced as Ginny inserted the silver loop into his ear. "Done."  
  
"Ouch. That stings more than getting hit with a bludger!" He held his throbbing ear tightly.  
  
Ginny sighed. "Ok, so here's the plan. I will wait for Malfoy outside the Great Hall after dinner, and try to get him to make the move on me. You will be inside, acting like a bad boy and getting Hermione's attention."  
  
"What if he doesn't 'make a move on you'?"  
  
Ginny grinned slyly and pulled out a little vial full of light pink liquid. "Well just in case, you are going to pour this very diluted lust potion into his pumpkin juice. It will only last for a while. Just long enough for Hermione to go back to her dorm and find Malfoy make out with me."  
  
"Are you sure this will work?" Harry slipped the vial in his pocket.  
  
"My fingers are crossed. See you at dinner. Remember, talk tough, act tough! Got it?" Ginny turned and left. She ran to her room and pulled on the most revealing shirt and miniskirt she owned.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
After studying for the whole morning and afternoon, Hermione couldn't wait to get some dinner.  
  
"Come on, let's go get some food." Hermione took Draco's hand.  
  
"Just a sec." Draco finished his sentence and started packing his things away.  
  
Together, Draco and Hermione walked to the Great Hall, fingers intertwined.  
  
"Hermione. I love you."  
  
"I love you too." Hermione smiled and lean her head against Draco's arm.  
  
They separated once they were in the Great Hall and headed towards their own house table. Hermione searched for someone to sit next to. There was no way she wanted to face Harry or Ginny. Finding no one, however, she just sat down next to Lavender and listened to her conversation with Parvati.  
  
A guy dressed in black caught her eye; he had stunning green eyes, spiked hair, and a little silver loop hanging from one ear. He was laughing with a couple of guys, and he was throwing peas at some girls. *Where have I seen him before? Looks freakishly like Harry. Nah, no way Harry would do that. * He seemed to have felt someone staring at him, for he turned and stared straight into her eyes. *Harry?!? *  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Harry excused himself from his conversation with Sean and stood up. He sauntered slowly towards where Hermione sat. Lavender and Parvati squealed and almost fainted at the sight of him.  
  
"Hey babe." Harry smirked.  
  
"Harry, what the hell do you think you're doing?"  
  
"Mind if I sit?" He shoved a couple of first years away and sat down. "So, doing anything tonight? I would love a massage from a hot chick like yourself."  
  
"Harry, if you are mad at me, just tell me. You don't have to act so weird."  
  
Harry looked down at his nails. "Who said? So you up to it or what?"  
  
"I have a boyfriend. Get it through your head."  
  
"Come on. It's just a massage, maybe leading up to a little snoggin'. No big deal."  
  
Hermione shuddered as he felt his hand moving up her robe, and slapped it away.  
  
"Don't try to resist. We both know that you dig bad boys."  
  
Draco's POV  
  
Draco was had downed an entire goblet of pumpkin juice when he started feeling a very strange urge coming over him. *That little weasel, I'd love to stick my tongue down her thro-what the hell? I have a girlfriend, what am I think-that Ginny, when did she become so cute? * Draco felt light headed, and choking down the rest of his dinner, decided to head up to his dorm to get some sleep.  
  
He was just out of the Great Hall when he heard a voice. "Hey sexy." Draco turned to see the little weasel leaning against a pillar, her collar falling off her shoulder to reveal her maroon bra strap. Draco didn't know why, but he needed to embrace her, to kiss her. He grabbed her and flung her over his shoulder. Ginny struggled playfully but did not resist. One thing led to another, and soon they were wrapped up on the couch, making out like nobody's business.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione had enough, she slapped Harry straight across the face.  
  
Harry looked stunned and seemed to snap out of his "bad boy" phase.  
  
"H-hermione, I-I.." Hermione wouldn't take anymore, and stormed out of the Great Hall.  
  
*That bastard. First he's snogging with Ginny and now he is hitting on me. Draco would never do that. * Hermione comforted herself at the thought of cuddling up with Draco and telling him all about her problems. She hoped that he was already back in their common room.  
  
Hermione walked through the corridors slowly, reliving every moment she had shared with Draco: their kisses, holding hands, chatting, and doing homework together. Reaching the portrait, she whispered the password and walked into the common room. She saw Draco's robe strewn on the floor.  
  
"Draco, I am so glad you are back, you can't believe what happened to Harry. I don't know what has come over him. It's like his 'bad boy' phase or something. " She sighed and picked up Draco's robe. "I swear, you have to stop throwing your robe all over the place." She looked over at the couch, where she had seen movement. Draco's lips were locked with Ginny's, and his hand was running through her hair. He hadn't even noticed her walk into the room, but Ginny had. She tried to push Draco away, but he only held her tighter. Finally Draco seemed to realize something was wrong, and looked up into Hermione's tear stained face.  
  
Hermione couldn't take her eyes away from the horrid sight in front of her. Everything she had thought would never happen had happened. "Dr- draco, I can't believe you. You, out of all people." She turned around and ran full speed out of their common room. 


	18. The Truth

Draco's POV  
  
Hermione's harsh words woke Draco like a slap in the face. He looked down to see his arms wrapped around the little weasel, her face only inches from his. He pushed away, disgusted.  
  
"I don't know what you did to me, but whatever it was, you are one sick bitch." Draco ran out of the common room calling Hermione's name.  
  
He saw Hermione a few steps in front of him, sniffling and trying to keep herself from collapsing in the middle of the hallway. Finally, she could not hold in her tears any longer, and she hid herself in a corner and cried.  
  
"Hermione..listen to me. It wasn't me..I swear." Draco knelt down next to her and placed a hand on her knee.  
  
She pushed his hand away. "Harry was right, I don't know what I ever saw in you. I thought you were different Draco, and I thought you had changed. I was wrong, you are just like any other guy. I must have been f**king screwed up to break up with Harry for you."  
  
"Please, just listen to what I.." Draco started.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
"Just leave me alone!" Hermione screamed, and getting up, she ran back to the dorm and up to her room. She collapsed on her bed and tried to erase all the moments she had shared with Dr-Malfoy out of her system.  
  
"Herm.." Malfoy's voice was muffled by the door.  
  
"I never want to see your face again!" Hermione threw a pillow at the door.  
  
"Pleas.."  
  
"NO! Leave! Just leave!"  
  
"Fine." Malfoy whispered and left.  
  
*This was not how I had imagined it. I thought we would be the perfect couple. How could I have been so stupid to give up Harry. He is everything anyone would wish to have, and I gave it all up for Malfoy. Why did I ever have feelings for him anyways? *  
  
Harry's POV  
  
"So how was your whole 'bad boy' thing?" Ginny asked.  
  
"Horrible. Hermione slapped me in front of the entire school. I don't think she likes the 'bad boy' thing." Harry sulked.  
  
"My part of the plan worked. Hermione walked in on us when it was just getting hot and steamy. She totally blew up on Malfoy. They have to be over already. No worries, I got your back."  
  
"Thanks. This means a lot to me."  
  
"All in a day's work." Ginny yawned. "Good night, Harry."  
  
Harry sat in the common room, amidst many chess playing first years and book reading fifth years, thinking whether or not what they had done was worth it. By the time the common room had emptied out, he still hadn't landed on a decision yet, and sleepily, he went to bed.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione woke up, and everything that had happened the night before rushed into her head. Malfoy had cheated on her, with Ginny. She stifled a sob, and masked her emotions with a stiff fake smile. She thumped down the stairs. *I guess I will have to tell Harry I'm sorry for not believing him and breaking his heart. * She walked to the common room door, where a small yellow note caught her attention. She peeled it off and read it.  
  
[Beginning of note]  
Dear Hermione,  
  
We have to talk. Things were not what they seemed last night. Please  
forgive me, I would never hurt you intentionally.  
  
Love,  
Draco [End of note]  
  
Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes up trying to keep tears from rolling down her face. She ran to her room and got her quill. "Malfoy," she wrote, "We have nothing to talk about. A picture is worth a thousand words. There is nothing to forgive. I am sorry I ever made this mistake. – Granger." She stuck the note back on the door and walked out.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Harry had just rolled out of bed, and his hair was unkempt, but he had put on another one of his bad boy outfits. He strolled into the Great Hall and took a seat next to Neville. Silently, Harry filled a plate with eggs and bacon, and started to eat.  
  
"Harry." Hermione appeared before him. "I am sorry about everything and anything I did to you. You were right about Malfoy, and I am sorry I didn't listen to you. I hope you accept my apology." She started to walk away.  
  
"Wait." Harry grabbed her arm. "Can we talk?"  
  
Hermione nodded.  
  
*Should I ask her to go out with me again then? But after everything I did to her.. and she looks so miserable. Why did I agree to do something so horrible? But, she should be mine, and only mine! Perhaps she has broken up with Malfoy already. *  
  
"Does this mean you and Malfoy are over?"  
  
A tear rolled down Hermione's cheek. "I-I guess." She said, her voice quivering.  
  
"You don't love him anymore?" Harry asked hopefully.  
  
"No-no, I guess not."  
  
"Would you like to go out with me again? Give me another chance?"  
  
"Harry," Hermione choked, "Not right now, but I will think about it. I promise."  
  
"Okay, see you in class today then." Harry took her hand and held it for a while.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
Draco had left a note on the common room door and went to breakfast, hoping he would not have another unpleasant encounter with Hermione. He could only hope that she would give him a chance to talk.  
  
He was eating breakfast in the Great Hall when he saw Hermione walk up to Potter. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but after a while, Potter took Hermione's hand. *Damn, is she going to Potter for comfort now? I know he had something to do with whatever happened to me last night. * Draco grumbled annoyingly, scarfed down the rest of his breakfast and went to his Potions class that Gryffindor and Slytherin took together. He prayed that he would be able to talk to Hermione.  
  
Upon entering his Potions class in the dungeon, he found that everyone was already seated, and the desk he usually shared with Hermione was empty. Glancing around, he noticed that she had switched seats, and she now sat next to Potter. He sighed, it was worse than he thought; she wouldn't even look at him, let alone have a polite conversation with him.  
  
Draco spent the rest of the class staring at the back of Hermione's head, and missing every question that Snape asked him. He couldn't stand it any longer, he had to confront her after class.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
*Sitting next to Harry is so different from sitting next to Malfoy. Harry is so immature, and not as funny as Malfoy. * She tried to keep her attention on Snape, but constantly felt her mind drifting back to Malfoy.  
  
After class, Hermione walked up the dungeon stairs and into the main hallway.  
  
"Hermione!" A familiar voice called.  
  
Hermione recognized the voice and continued to storm up the stairs.  
  
"Why can't you just listen to me?"  
  
"Why? You ask me why?" Hermione smirked. "I'll tell you why. I thought you were different, but you aren't, and now I am going to walk away. Forever." She continued her angry flight up the stairs, but felt a strong grip stop her.  
  
Hermione whipped around. "Let go of me." She snarled and twisted out of Draco's grip.  
  
"So this is it? You are just going to forget about everything we shared together?"  
  
"Shared? We shared nothing! You understand? NOTHING!" Hermione turned away.  
  
"Hermione, you didn't even give me a chance to explain!"  
  
"You don't need to!"  
  
"Hermione, you know I love you."  
  
"Save it, Malfoy. We are through." Hermione spat. She ran as far as she could away from him without looking back.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
*Malfoy. She just called me Malfoy. * Draco knew something had happened that night that made him suddenly lust for the little weasel, but how could he prove it to Hermione if she wouldn't even listen to him?  
  
Draco didn't even bother going to the rest of his classes, he drifted slowly back to his common room. The little note he had written to Hermione was still there, but Hermione had answered to it. *This is it. There goes our relationship. I didn't even do anything wrong. Now she is going to go back to Potter. *  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione floated through her classes like a ghost. She was there, yet she seemed unreal. If anyone asked her what was wrong, she would plaster a fake smile on her face and say no. Eventually, classes ended and she had a two-hour break until dinner.  
  
Hermione returned to her dorm and flopped in her chair. She fell into a deep sleep until a tapping on the window woke her up. She glanced up to see a beautiful snow-white owl perched on the windowsill with a package in its beak. Hermione quickly let the owl in and took the package. She opened the letter first.  
  
[Begin Letter]  
  
Dear Hermione,  
  
Since you won't even begin to allow me to explain, I hoped that you would at least accept my owl. I know that you will never accept my apologies, so I won't start. Open the box. I've been waiting for the perfect time to give it to you, but that seems irrelevant now. Please take it. Malfoy  
  
[End Letter]  
  
Hermione unwrapped the brown paper wrapping to reveal a soft velvet box. Inside was a beautiful silver necklace. The pendant was made of two burgundy and emerald gems fused together. Etched on the back were the initials H and D entwined inside a heart. Her heart raced at the beauty of the necklace, but she shook away the feeling when she remembered who had given it to her. She wrote back to Malfoy. "Thank you for the beautiful necklace, but please remember, it doesn't really change anything. I think you should take it back." She folded her letter and handed both the box and the letter to the owl.  
  
"You are such a beautiful bird." She cooed as she petted the owl. She took out her schoolwork as she watched the owl fly away, and she was soon absorbed in her work.  
  
Hours later she felt a hunger in her stomach and gazed up at the clock  
to find that it was already six. Hermione stretched out her arms and  
decided to go down to the Great Hall for dinner.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Harry saw Hermione walking towards the Gryffindor table, she looked miserable.  
  
"Ginny, I can't stand watching Hermione like this. I have to tell her the truth."  
  
"Harry, you got what you wanted. Hermione and Malfoy broke up!" Ginny exclaimed.  
  
"Are you okay with what we did to Hermione? I mean look at her! She can barely smile or talk to anyone without starting to tear up again!"  
  
Ginny sat in silence, as if realizing what she had done to one of her closest friends.  
  
"She is too shocked about everything that happened that she didn't even run to me as her rebound boy."  
  
"Oh.."  
  
"Hermione doesn't deserve me. Look what I did to her. Look how much pain I caused her! Don't you feel even slightly guilty about the part you played in this?!"  
  
"I guess I do, well do what you must.." Ginny sighed.  
  
"Hermione, sit here," Harry called.  
  
Hermione sat down, a fake smile spreading over her mouth. "Hey Harry."  
  
"Hey Hermione." Ginny piped.  
  
Hermione's smile dropped. "Hello."  
  
"I have something to tell you." Harry began.  
  
"I'm listening."  
  
"Draco didn't do anything wrong. It was all part of a plan Ginny and I came up with. We administered a very diluted lust potion to him, to make him lust for Ginny just for a while. We wanted you to walk in on them snogging so you would hate Draco....then maybe you would come back to me...."  
  
"You..what?!"  
  
"Sorry." Harry mumbled.  
  
"I can't believe you guys would do this to us." Hermione gasped.  
  
"I couldn't stand you being with him. I had to do something."  
  
"Harry, I would never expect this from you. God, I'm so disgusted I'm not even hungry anymore. Good night."  
  
Hermione left the Great Hall in a daze, and retreated to her dorm for the night.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
Draco looked at his calendar; the 10 of Janurary. He was to get his Dark Mark tonight. *I wish I could have discussed this with Hermione. She will never approve of my getting the Dark Mark. * He reached over and took the velvet box. He couldn't believe Hermione had returned it. He took out the necklace and turned it around in his palm. It was beautiful and exotic, just like Hermione. He walked to her room and placed the necklace on her bed. Draco slowly backed out of her room and shut her door. Maybe she would realize how much he truly cared for her.  
  
Draco returned to his room, his silver blonde hair falling around his face, and prepared for his Dark Mark ceremony.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
*I can't believe Harry would do that. I can't believe I didn't trust Draco. He was innocent after all. How can I ever say I'm sorry? I should have believed Draco when he said it wasn't him. I knew Draco would never do this to me, so how come I didn't wait for him to explain? *  
  
Hermione walked into her room and saw something shiny on her bed. It was reflecting the flames from the fire. She picked it up and realized that it was the necklace that Draco had sent her. She undid the clasp and put it on.  
  
*I can't face Draco now. I bet he hates me. * Hermione decided to wait until the next morning, and pulling the covers around her she went to sleep.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
At eleven o'clock, Draco crept down into the common room and waited near the fireplace for his father. A second later, his father's head popped up in the fireplace.  
  
"Come with me, son!"  
  
Draco walked through the fireplace and arrived in a muggle house.  
  
"To prove you are able to perform all the necessary spells, we have decided that you are to torture all these muggles to death with the curses." Lucius Malfoy pointed at the muggle family, levitating in the air.  
  
"F-father, but these are innocent muggles."  
  
"Don't you dare defy me, boy!"  
  
"I can't." Draco bowed down his head.  
  
"You will do as you are told!"  
  
"NO!!"  
  
"YOU WILL DO AS YOUR MASTER TELLS YOU!"  
  
"I'm sorry, Hermione!" The last thing Draco yelled. He felt a pain searing through his body and a second later he blacked out.  
  
Draco woke up gasping, in a dark cold cellar. He looked down on his right forearm, and sure enough, there was the Dark Mark glowing red on his skin. He looked around and noticed the thick stonewalls surrounding him. The door was strong metal and there was only a small slot where food could be passed from the outside in. Draco felt for his wand in his pockets, but to his despair, found nothing.  
  
"No, no, this is all a dream." Draco pinched himself. "No, no, no!" He shook his head, trying to shake things into making sense. 


	19. The Last Battle

Hermione's POV  
  
[The next morning]  
  
"Draco?" Hermione knocked on his door.  
  
"Draco, it's Hermione, can I come in?" When she didn't hear an answer, she stepped into his room. She looked around and found his bed perfectly made. There was no sign that anyone had been in the room before.  
  
Hermione figured he had already gone down to breakfast and decided to catch him before he left for classes. She quickly dressed and pulled on her robe. Grabbing her bag full of books, she ran out of the common room. Hermione ran blindly through the hallways, almost knocking over Professor Dumbledore.  
  
"I am so sorry Professor." Hermione apologized.  
  
"No worries Ms. Granger, but I do have some grave news." Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "Let us head back to your common room, you may want to sit down."  
  
Hermione's face scrunched up with worry. *I wonder what could be wrong. Did I loose my Head girl position? * They walked back to the Heads common room, and Dumbledore situated himself in an armchair. Hermione sat in the sofa opposite him.  
  
"Ms. Granger, I am afraid Mr. Malfoy has gone missing."  
  
"What? He was just here yesterday."  
  
"Yes, and I think his father may have something to do with his disappearance. As you know, most Death Eaters get their Dark Marks when they are 17, and for a while now, we have been worried that Lucius would force Draco to get his. Our worst fears have come true."  
  
"Do you know where he may be?"  
  
"The other professors and I assume that he is imprisoned somewhere in the Castle de Vuelta, the hideaway for the Death Eaters, also known as Lord Voldemort's hiding place."  
  
"Is there any way you can save him?"  
  
"Even with the help of many Aurors and the Ministry, I am afraid there is nothing we can do.."  
  
Hermione broke into tears.  
  
"..But there is one person that is powerful enough."  
  
Hermione looked up, a thought dawned on her. "Harry.."  
  
"Yes, Harry Potter. Although he may be strong enough to save Draco, only with their combined power may they defeat Voldemort once and for all."  
  
"But Professor, Harry is only 17, he probably doesn't have half the skills of an Auror."  
  
"Ah..but Ms. Granger, how you underestimate him. He is ready. This is his battle."  
  
Though she had been mad at Harry the night before, Hermione didn't want Harry to be put in a life threatening position. *Dumbledore said he would be fine. I believe him. Harry will return safely. *  
  
"When does he leave?" Hermione asked.  
  
"In two hours."  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Harry was in his dorm, packing his things. *I can't believe I have to go save Malfoy. If it wasn't my duty, I would never agree to it. I can't defeat Voldemort without him though. I need to rescue him because I need his help. *  
  
Harry looked up at the door when he heard a knock. "Come in."  
  
Hermione's slim figure slid into his room. "I heard you were leaving."  
  
"Yea, in a while."  
  
"Harry," Hermione walked up and grabbed his hands, "I beg you, please return with Draco, safely. I need both of you."  
  
Harry sighed.  
  
"Harry, I care about you. A lot. I don't want you to get hurt." *Yea right, all she cares about is Malfoy. *  
  
"All you care about is Malfoy."  
  
"Harry, I care about both of you, just in different ways. Just promise you will come back safely?"  
  
"I can take care of myself." Harry pushed passed Hermione and walked out of the dorm with a small bag in his hands and his wand sticking out of a pocket.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione watched as Harry pushed off the quidditch ground on his broom, surrounded by ranks of Aurors, sent to battle the Death Eaters and to watch over Harry. Half the school had gathered to watch the fantastic group lift off, and everyone clapped and hooted as they flew further and further out of sight.  
  
Classes had been canceled because of the events, and Hermione went to her dorm to drown her sorrows in homework, without anyone to comfort her. *I wish I had talked to Draco before. Now I may never be able to say how sorry I am for not trusting him. *  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Somewhere in the middle of a group of Aurors, Harry flew for many hours before they reached the Castle de Vuelta. It was a dark gloomy looking castle, surrounded with a moat of burning hot lava. The ancient layer of magic protecting the castle shimmered slightly under all the new layers of magic.  
  
"Holy.." Harry whispered.  
  
"What was that?" A near-by Auror questioned.  
  
"I wonder if we will come out of that place alive. It's been charmed so many times, you can't even tell the different layers of magic apart."  
  
"Too late to turn back now. Hurry, we are landing in the open space in the middle of the forest."  
  
The huge group swerved to the right and settled slowly into an opening in the dense forest.  
  
"Listen now," said the lead Auror, "We are just going to attack the castle head on, no back doors or tricks. Understood?"  
  
All the Aurors nodded.  
  
"Harry, a group of us will follow you down to the dungeons where Draco Malfoy is most likely to be kept. From then on, it will be up to the two of you to battle it out with the Dark Lord. Let's go."  
  
The group of Aurors marched up to the moat, and everyone whispering a spell, created a strong sturdy bridge across the deadly moat. Once across the moat, the next obstacle was the layers of magic protecting the castle.  
  
"Exempable!!" The group of Aurors yelled, loud enough to wake anyone inside the castle. Suddenly the layers of magic around the castle lifted off layer-by-layer and floated away. The Aurors and Harry barged in through the doors, only to be met by an equally large group of Death Eaters. Two Aurors ushered Harry into the shadows and slid away in the direction of the dungeons. The gruesome painful screams of Death Eaters and Aurors echoed off the bare castle walls.  
  
Deeper and deeper into the dungeons, the Aurors and Harry walked. Thankfully, there were no Death Eaters guarding the narrow stairways, but to their distaste, they found three Death Eaters guarding a metal door.  
  
"Malfoy is probably behind that door." Harry whispered to the Aurors. "We can each take on one of the Death Eaters."  
  
A minute later, there were two dead and one stunned Death Eaters sprawled across the cold dungeon floor.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
Draco surveyed his surroundings. There was no way he could get out of this prison without his wand. He sighed and decided that all he could do now was wait until someone came and rescued him. Draco slumped into the corner of the cell. *I never even got to talk to Hermione before I left, and I may never be able to talk to her again. *  
  
"Pss..Malfoy. That you?" A voice whispered.  
  
"It's me, when are you going to get me out of here?" Draco questioned impatiently.  
  
"You better be patient or I'm going to leave you here to rot."  
  
"Potter?!" *I can't believe they sent him, as if I'm not degraded enough, now I have to be rescued by the infamous Harry Potter. * Draco thought sarcastically.  
  
"Slevhaka." Potter whispered, the spell ate through the strong metal and the door was soon melted down.  
  
"Come on, we have to go find Voldemort."  
  
"To do what? Commit a heroic deed? To make yourself even more famous?" Draco mocked.  
"No, to make the wizarding world a safe place for all of us. At least do it for Hermione. "  
  
"Fine, but I don't even have a wand." Draco scoffed.  
  
"Right, you can use this." Potter pulled out a tattered old stick.  
  
"What?! That piece of garbage? No way!"  
  
"That piece of garbage belonged to my godfather." Potter retorted. "Take it or keep it."  
  
"Ugh, fine." Draco rolled his eyes.  
  
The Aurors left to help their friends fight the Death Eaters, and Draco and Potter were left on their own.  
  
"Let's go." Potter whispered.  
  
"I bet you don't even know where Voldemort's main chamber is." Draco smirked.  
  
"Well if you know, why don't you lead?" Potter shot back.  
  
"My pleasure." Draco stepped in front of Potter and headed down a dark hallway. At the end of the hallway was a bright light that seemed to glow a different color every 30 seconds.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Harry followed behind Malfoy cautiously, just in case Malfoy was leading him into a trap. But sure enough, at the end of the hallway, he could see the shadow of a tall bony man hunched over a huge spellbook. Malfoy suddenly dipped away into the shadows.  
  
"Potter." Malfoy hissed annoyingly. "You weren't thinking of just barging in there were you?"  
  
"There is no one around guarding him." Harry reasoned.  
  
"That's because he is powerful enough to kill 100 wizards with one spell. Of course they are not worried. Anyways, you follow my lead. We sneak in around the sides, and hide behind one of the bookcases that you find."  
  
"No way, I'm going to face him head on. He tried killing me 5 times already didn't he? He never succeeded once. He won't succeed this time."  
  
"Do what you want to do, I'm going my way."  
  
"I don't need you."  
  
"I don't need you either." Malfoy shoved Harry.  
  
Harry walked out of the shadows and into the blinding light protruding from the chamber. "Voldemort!"  
  
"Ah, Harry Potter, I've been expecting you, just not so soon. Sit down." Voldemort magicked a chair out of thin air and waved his hand over it.  
  
"No thanks. I only have one assignment, to kill you."  
  
"Oh, I am so scared!" Voldemort mimicked whipping out his wand. "I will kill you first, just like I killed your parents."  
  
"SACIO!" Harry screamed pulling out his wand.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
From his hiding spot, Draco saw Voldemort take out his wand.  
  
"SACIO!" Draco screamed.  
  
A silver thread shot out from the wand he was using and entwined with the gold thread coming out of Potter's wand. The two threads shot out and wrapped around Voldemort tightly, causing him unable to raise his wand.  
  
"I will avenge my parents death, now!" Potter spat into the face of a furious Voldemort. "ALMADOR!" Voldemort started shaking uncontrollably. "How do you like that?" Potter spat again. "SHLIVAKA!" Potter yelled, causing Voldemort to fly back and rebound off the cold chamber wall. "HAVING FUN?" Potter retorted. "PA..!!"  
  
The castle ground started rumbling. Voldemort glared into Potter's eyes, his lip cut and bleeding. "Ha, now you will die here, and underneath these castles your bones will lie until your great-great-grandchildren find them."  
  
Crumbled rocks started dropping from the ceiling, and the ground lurched right and left, causing the two of them to lose their balance. Draco and Potter scrambled upright and bolted out the chamber without bothering to finish off Voldemort. They met with the remaining Aurors in the hallway and started to run towards the giant double doors where they had come through. Straining, everyone used their last bits of power to pull open the heavy doors. To their surprise, the castle had already sunk five yards into the ground, and many huge boulders had broken the bridge. The castle was still sinking, and fast, they had to get everyone out safely. All the Aurors started a mad rush out the door, and Draco could only wait until the last Auror had left until he could get out.  
  
"Potter!" Draco yelled when he turned around and saw Potter limping towards him. He had a wounded Auror leaning on him. Draco ran over and helped Potter with the Auror.  
  
"Hurry! We don't have much time, the door is only about 2 ft above ground now." Draco carried the Auror over to the opening and pushed him through. The Aurors at the other side quickly surrounded their wounded buddy and carried him away.  
  
There was only a foot left between the ground and the top of the opening.  
  
"Harry, you go first."  
  
"No Malfoy! Go on, leave me!"  
  
"There is no time to argue, you go first, maybe there will be time for me."  
  
"It's to late Malfoy. Go, and tell Hermione I will always love her. Please tell her I am sorry that I will never be able to do all those things I promised I would. Now there is only one thing left to do, face my death proudly and kill Voldemort first. I envy you, Draco Malfoy, you have the only thing that I would die for."  
  
"Be careful Potter, I will tell Hermione your biddings." Draco slid himself through the vanishing opening, and turned around to see the castle door disappearing underground, taking Potter with it. Draco looked up at the winking stars, realizing it was already late. He ran as fast as he could, away from the castle and back to the camp that the Aurors had set up. *What will I tell Hermione? Potter sacrificed his life for mine. How will she take it? Her best friend is never coming back. *  
  
Arriving at the clearing, Draco noticed that only about one-third of the original group of Aurors had returned. Looking around, he could see the bright twinkle of tears in everyone's eyes.  
  
"Where is Harry?" An old wizard asked him worriedly.  
  
"He's gone, he went back to fight Voldemort." Draco felt himself choking up with tears. Sure, Potter had been his nemesis since the first day of Hogwarts, but now he would never return, because of Draco.  
  
Draco dreaded going back to Hogwarts and facing the entire school, having to tell them that their champion had sacrificed his life for his. Draco curled up under a tree and fell asleep, not wanting to think anymore. 


	20. He's Gone

Hermione's POV  
  
"They're back!!" A small first year boy screamed excitedly as he ran into the Great Hall. Hermione quickly straightened up. *I hope they are all right. *  
  
"Let's go welcome back our heroes. Shall we?" Dumbledore stood up and led the way out of the Great Hall.  
  
As half of the school ventured out on to the quidditch field, the group of Aurors had just landed a little further away. Hermione hurriedly pushed her way past the crowd of onlookers. Dumbledore was discussing something with the head Auror, and he looked very sad indeed. The group of Aurors had shrunk down to only one third of the original size. Hermione looked around nervously, but couldn't find Draco or Harry.  
  
"Hermione!" Draco elbowed his way out of the ring of Aurors surrounding him.  
  
"Oh my God! You are alright! I was so worried!" Hermione hugged Draco quickly. "Where is Harry?"  
  
Draco's POV  
  
Draco contemplated over whether or not to tell Hermione what happened to Potter. He sighed. "Potter is gone."  
  
"Where?" Hermione asked confounded.  
  
"He's gone, he's not coming back."  
  
Hermione trembled. "What do you mean? Where did he go?"  
  
"He's just gone, ok?"  
  
"WHERE?" Hermione shook Draco by the shoulders. "TELL ME!"  
  
"He stayed in the sinking castle to finish off Voldemort."  
  
"WHY?!"  
  
"There was only time for one of us to escape. He sacrificed his life for mine."  
  
"He is going to be back! He promised me he would always be here for me. HE PROMISED! HARRY NEVER BREAKS HIS PROMISES. NEVER. Never." Hermione crumpled onto her knees, shaking and sobbing at an uncontrollable rate.  
  
Draco pulled Hermione in and held her. He whispered softly into her hair. "He's not coming back. He told me to tell you to please forgive him."  
  
Hermione pushed away with tear in her eyes. "I don't believe you!!!"  
  
"Listen to me!"  
  
"NO! NO! It's not true! It's not true!" Hermione screamed covering her ears as if doing that would block out everything. She crumpled into a kneeling position. Draco bent down and hugged her tightly.  
  
"He also told me to tell you that he will always love you."  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
"No..no..this is just a bad dream. I will wake up and everything will be fine." Hermione mumbled deliriously. "No, no, no! I know I was mad at Harry, but I never wanted something to happen to him. Draco STOP LYING TO ME!"  
  
"Hermione! WAKE UP! POTTER IS NOT COMING BACK!" Draco yelled.  
  
"HE WILL! HE WILL! HE WILL!" Hermione pounded Draco's chest with her fists in frustration, tears rolling down her cheeks. Finally, she could no longer continue, and she fell into Draco's arms and cried until she could cry no longer. 


End file.
